


Impressions

by LOTSlover



Category: Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Fatal Attraction, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Squee, Stalking, Sweet Moments, Trauma, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 61,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23263903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LOTSlover/pseuds/LOTSlover
Summary: Bruce Wayne decides it's time to take more interest in his company and shed his playboy persona. Diana Prince is the newly arrived Greek curator at the Gotham Museum. Neither was looking for love, but when they meet sparks begin to fly. AU / Bruce/Diana / No Powers
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman)/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 40
Kudos: 313





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So, I decided to pull this AU fic from my Wonderbat Anthology series and make this a fic all of its own. I'm loving this fic and I want to be able to update it more often. Hope you enjoy it! :)

** Chapter 1 **

“What else is going on?” Bruce asked in mid-pushup, sweat trickling down the side of his face.

“You also have the Gotham museum ball tonight,” Alfred informed him, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He was already anticipating his young master’s reaction to the reminder.

Bruce grimaced as he held his pushup for far longer than necessary, his muscles starting to quiver under the stress he was putting them under. “Didn’t I just go to a museum ball last week?”

“No, sir, that was a hospital charity ball,” he reminded him.

“They all begin to run together after a while,” he grumbled, finally finishing the move. He stood to his feet, grabbing a nearby hand towel to wipe the sweat from his eyes. “Do I really have to go to this one?”

“I’m afraid so, sir,” Alfred confirmed. “You helped provide the extra funding necessary so that the Gotham Museum could hire that new, young curator from Greece that several high-profile museums have been headhunting in hopes of getting their hands on.”

“I did?” he questioned him with a suspicious look.

“I’m afraid so,” he replied. “Maybe if you spent a little less time going to parties and more time paying attention to work and various Wayne charities that you support you just might recall things like this.”

Bruce sighed heavily as he tossed the towel into a nearby laundry bin. “I don’t want to spend an evening around a bunch of stuffed-shirt men who have nothing better to talk about then some rare artifact that’s two thousand years old.”

Alfred smiled to himself with his surrogate son’s assumptions about the evening. “Actually, the new curator from Greece is a female.”

Bruce’s scowl only deepened as he stared Alfred down, his muscular arms folded against his equally muscular chest. “She’s probably mousy with thick glasses and her hair pulled into a tight bun. I’ll bet you a hundred dollars she’ll be so timid that she won’t even be able to make eye contact with anyone.”

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to go to the gala to find out,” he informed him, knowing that his description of the Greek curator couldn’t be further from the truth. He decided to let the obstinate twenty-eight-year-old find out for himself. “I’ll have your tuxedo pressed and ready for you by six.”

“You’re going to make me go, aren’t you?” Bruce questioned with a sullen frown.

“Yes, I am,” Alfred firmly stated with a stern look that could only be described as fatherly bordering on thoroughly irritated. “The Gotham Museum was your mother’s favorite Gotham institution and their finest patron. It wouldn’t be what it is today without her contributions and donations. Besides, it is your responsibility to make Miss Prince feel welcomed in Gotham.”

Bruce’s shoulders slumped in defeat, clearly deflated and resigned to his fated evening of rubbing elbows with the dullest people he’d ever known as well as an uninteresting curator from Greece. “Fine,” he bit out, averting his eyes under Alfred’s penetrating glare. “I’ll go, but I’m telling you right now that I’m not spending one more minute with the new Greek curator than I absolutely have to. I’ll go…take a few pictures, shake a few hands, drink their alcohol and greet the new curator, but after that I’m gone.”

“If you say so, Master Bruce,” Alfred agreed with a nod and a barely subdued smirk as he turned to leave.

He made a mental note to bring a large thermos of hot tea and a good book to keep him occupied tonight while he waited in the limo. He had a strong feeling that once Master Bruce saw the stunning Miss Diana Prince that he wouldn’t be leaving the museum any time soon if ever.

“You know it’s a pretty low blow to bring my mother into it,” Bruce yelled after him as Alfred left the training room.

“I have no idea what you’re referring to,” Alfred called over his shoulder, mentally patting himself on the back for another successful parenting mission. Martha would be so proud.

XXX

Bruce sat in the back of the limo dressed in his tux glaring daggers at the cell phone in his hand. He’d already made up his mind that was going to have a horrible time tonight and no one was going to convince him otherwise. Not even Alfred bringing up how much this meant to his mother could lighten his mood at this point.

Glancing at him in the rearview mirror, Alfred smiled to himself. He really couldn’t blame Master Bruce for not looking forward to tonight’s event. It was one far more suited for his parents, but with them gone, it fell on young Bruce’s shoulders to carry the Wayne name. 

It was a terribly heavy weight to carry as his age especially with the horrifying way that he had lost his parents right in front of his eyes. He did hope that maybe Miss Prince would somehow manage to bring a glimmer of happiness back to his life even if just for one evening.

Alfred pulled the limo to a stop in front of the stairs that led to the museum’s grand entrance. A red carpet awaited the guests’ arrival along with several reporters from various newspapers and magazines. “I do wish you would’ve allowed me to find you a date for tonight,” Alfred told him.

“I can find my own dates and I won’t be here long enough for it to matter, Alfred,” Bruce assured him. “In fact, you can keep the motor running if you’d like. I won’t be that long.”

“Master Bruce! I will do no such thing,” Alfred scolded him. “You’re going to march in there and make your parents proud, young man. I expect nothing less from you.”

“Yes, sir,” Bruce grumbled, having the decency to look chagrined as he slipped his cell phone into his jacket pocket.

“I should’ve put that boy over my knee more often when he was growing up,” Alfred murmured to himself as he exited the limo to open the back door.

As if flipping a light switch, Bruce’s demeanor completely changed as Alfred opened the back door and Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy and most eligible bachelor, stepped out. He had his patented grin firmly in place, his azure blue eyes sparkling with mischief of every imaginable kind. He immediately charmed and captivated the gathered crowd as he waved to them, flashing them that dashing smile that melted more than a few hearts.

If Alfred could’ve, he would’ve rolled his eyes at that moment, but proper breeding and decorum caused him to refrain…but just barely. He was almost done getting the young man through his twenties. He could only imagine how much more trying his thirties and forties were going to be. Entering the limo to park the car, Alfred was more than certain it would garner him more than a few gray hairs on his poor head.

Bruce paused and turned at regular intervals, smiling and waving for the cameras. If there was one thing in his life that he refused to do, it was to disappoint his parents or tarnish their name. He adored them far too much to give anything less than his best for them despite how trying the event might be.

He smiled suavely as he headed inside the museum, sighing in resignation. The vast majority of people that attended the museum galas were his parents’ age with a small group of attenders around his own age. With any luck, his friend Clark from Metropolis would be here tonight. It would be the only thing that would make this night a little more bearable.

He immediately grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray the second he entered the main hall of the museum. He quickly began to scan the room as he downed the glass of bubbly, trying to keep the boredom he felt from reaching his face. 

He saw all the usual attenders, none of them of any particular interest to him. It actually caused his heart to clench in his chest, reminding him of his parents and how deeply he missed them. It was a constant ache that he carried within him, one that he feared would never heal.

Spotting another waiter, Bruce exchanged his empty glass for a full one, tipping his head back slightly to down the fortifying liquid that would hopefully begin to numb a measure of the pain he felt. With any luck, he’d get drunk enough that the entire evening would be nothing more than a forgettable blur of oblivion.

“You might want to slow down a little there, friend.”

Bruce rolled his eyes as he gulped down the last of the champagne in his glass before turning to face his friend. “Thank you, mother, but I think I know how to handle my alcohol.”

Clark Kent chuckled with his friend’s words. “Heaven knows you’ve had a lot of practice,” he pointed out.

“Actually, I’m relieved you’re here,” Bruce replied as he searched for another waiter to replenish his supply.

“Really?” Clark responded with a frown. “Why? This is more your thing than mine.”

“This…this is not my thing,” he bit out with a bitter tone. “This is my parents’ thing, but they’re not here so it has to be my thing by default…which I don’t want…at all.”

Clark’s blue eyes softened, knowing how difficult it was for his friend even twenty years after the fact. It was still a fresh wound that seemed ready to bleed at any given moment. He placed a reassuring hand on Bruce’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze before just as quickly retracting it. He knew he didn’t appreciate sympathy or attempts at comfort in any form.

“I know this is hard for you, Bruce, but—” Clark began.

“So, what are you doing here tonight?” Bruce asked, interrupting his attempt to console him. He didn’t need nor want it. What he needed was his parents back with him where they belonged.

Clark sighed as Bruce threw another wall up in his face. He’d run into more of them than he could begin to count over the years that they’d known each other. “Perry felt this was big enough of a story that he sent me to cover it,” he explained. “Have you met her yet?”

“Miss Prince?” Bruce uttered her name with an air of disdain. “Not yet, but I can tell you right now it’s one that I’m dreading.”

“Alfred made you come, didn’t he?”

“You’re going to march in there and make your parents proud, young man. I expect nothing less from you,” Bruce mimicked in his best Alfred impression as he sullenly grabbed another glass of champagne.

Clark couldn’t help but chuckle in response as he too reached for a glass. “You know without Alfred you would’ve been dead long ago,” he reminded him.

“Maybe it would’ve been for the best,” Bruce grumbled, more to himself than to his friend.

“You know that’s not true, Bruce,” Clark sternly retorted.

“Have you met the new curator?” Bruce asked, changing the subject.

“Not yet,” Clark revealed. “Perry sent me a bio on her with a picture, but I haven’t even had a chance to look at any of it yet.”

“Lois?”

Clark gave him a sheepish grin as he brought the champagne flute to his lips. “You know me so well,” he responded before taking a drink.

Bruce gave him a sardonic look as his gaze drifted over the crowded room, wondering which corner the new curator was hiding in…or under which artifact. “Too well sometimes,” he murmured. “I’m sure our newest curator is probably a boring bookworm who couldn’t make the time to pull her nose out of a dusty old tome to give anyone the time of day.”

“Wow…you have a real good impression of her already, and you haven’t even met her yet,” he decided. “You never know, Bruce. She just might surprise you.”

“I doubt it, Clark,” he stated. “I’ve attended too many of things. I know what curators are like. Boring with a capital B.”

Something out of the corner of his eye suddenly caught his attention, causing Bruce’s head to snap to the left. A flash of red material captured his interest, causing his brow to furrow in thought. No one ever wore red to these galas. 

It was always earth-tones or black…dreadfully boring colors for boring people, nothing as racy as red with all the old money flowing through these halls. He knew that it couldn’t have been Veronica Vreeland. She was out of the country, traveling the plains of Africa on some sort of safari.

Clark’s forehead creased as he studied his friend, noticing the abrupt change in his demeanor. “What’s the matter?”

“I…thought I saw something,” Bruce muttered as he continued to scan the crowds for the source of the dress, catching another glimpse but not nearly enough for his liking.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know yet,” Bruce murmured, handing his empty glass to Clark. “I’ll see you later.”

Bruce walked away from his friend, lost in his thoughts as he searched for the mysterious woman who had arrested his attention. He muttered excuses and apologies as he worked his way through the throngs of people, his searching gaze locked on the last spot he had seen her.

“Bruce! It’s so good to see you here tonight,” Missus Henry greeted him, grasping hold of his forearm. “I know your mother would’ve loved this. It’s such a shame she’s not here.”

Bruce forced a smile to his face, one that didn’t reach his blue eyes as he bit back the biting retort that danced on his tongue. “Yes, she would’ve, Missus Henry,” he politely replied instead.

“I do miss her something fierce,” she tisked with a shake of her head. “Of course, I’m sure you do too, my dear boy.”

“I do,” he admitted. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to see someone.”

He didn’t wait for a response as he pulled his arm free to continue his pursuit. The crowd seemed to part at that moment, his eyes falling on the object of his hunt. It was only the back of her, but what an amazing view that he beheld.

The red material hugged her tall, feminine frame, the backless dress revealing nearly the entire length of her spine. Raven hair was pulled into an intricate updo that exposed the slender column of her graceful neck, leaving him more than anxious to see the rest of her…to meet her and know her name.

A familiar voice stopped him dead in his tracks, keeping him from meeting her. “There you are, Bruce.”

He turned to find the director of the Gotham Museum walking towards him. “Good evening, Mister Clements,” he greeted him.

“I’m so happy you could make it this evening, Bruce,” Mister Clements said, immediately grasping his hand and shaking it appreciatively. “I know how much this important event would’ve meant to your mother.”

Bruce swallowed hard, trying to keep the heartache from reaching his voice as he spoke. “I know she would’ve loved it,” he softly agreed.

Mister Clements grasped Bruce’s shoulder, giving him an understanding look. “We wouldn’t have been able to hire such a prestigious curator as Miss Prince without your help and your generous donation,” he continued. “I’m anxious for you to meet her.”

Bruce tried to hide his disappointment, glancing at the woman in the red gown to find her walking away from them. He was desperate to meet her, but Mister Clements was intent on him meeting this Prince woman that he was hoping to avoid at all cost.

“I’d love to, but—” he began.

“It’ll only take a minute…I promise,” Mister Clements assured him, taking hold of Bruce’s upper arm as he guided him.

Bruce was relieved that Clements was leading him in the same direction as the mysterious woman, wondering which dark corner Miss Prince was hiding in with her nose in a book. “Diana!” Clements called as they approached.

Bruce was stunned when the woman in the sexy red dress paused and turned towards them only to be struck dumb when he came face to face with none other than the new curator Diana Prince. Her lips spread into a dazzling smile that seemed to light up the entire room, her sapphire eyes sparkling like the rarest of diamonds.

“Mister Clements,” she said. “This gala was not necessary, but I appreciate the warm welcome to Gotham.”

“Nonsense,” he replied. “It’s our pleasure to honor your arrival in our city. It’s the perfect way to meet the great people of Gotham and get to know some of our finest patrons.”

“Still, this is far more than I had ever anticipated,” she graciously responded.

Bruce stood there as they talked, rendered speechless by the beautiful woman standing before him. The sound of her voice was hypnotizing, her think Greek accent only adding to her mysterious allure and charm. He felt ridiculous standing there, not uttering a single word. It was so unlike his typical playboy image that he was so notorious for.

He couldn’t help it, though. He found all of his confidence slipping through his fingers as Mister Clements introduced them, Bruce unconsciously extending his hand as he lost himself in the sheer blueness of her eyes. “Hi,” he murmured. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Prince.”

He silently berated himself for sounding so positively lame, wondering where all his debonair and charm had disappeared to. He’d wooed and bedded plenty of women with far less effort and yet he found himself at a complete loss in front of this vision before him.

“Please call me Diana, Mister Wayne,” she responded, shaking his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

“Bruce’s mother was one of our greatest patrons,” Mister Clements informed her.

“Was?” Diana questioned with a confused glance at Bruce only to notice his face growing pale.

“My parents were murdered twenty-years ago,” Bruce revealed, the muscles of his jaw tensing.

“My deepest apologies, Mister Wayne,” Diana softly expressed her sorrow, her eyes glistening with sudden, unshed tears that took Bruce completely by surprise. “I’m very sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for you.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, stunned by her reaction. She was truly hurt by his loss and yet she didn’t even know him, making him even more curious about this enigmatic woman that seemed so unlike any other he’d ever known or met.

She didn’t try to comfort him with clichés or platitudes meant to bring comfort that he had no hope of ever fully grasping hold of. There was nothing that could ever happen that would take away the pain or ease the bitter anger that dwelt inside of him. She’d simply expressed her sympathy for his loss, her compassion taking him off guard.

“Well, I’m going to leave you two to get acquainted,” Mister Clements interjected, spotting another patron that he needed to greet.

Recovering some of his faculties, Bruce managed to get some control of himself once more. “Can I interest you in a drink, Diana?” he asked.

“That would be lovely, Mister Wayne,” she agreed.

“Please, call me Bruce,” he told her.

Bruce offered her his arm with a charming smile, Diana slipping her arm around his and allowing him to escort her. He could hardly take his eyes off her as they approached the bar, the hundreds of museum guests fading away into nothingness as they made small talk.

Miss Diana Prince had made a significant impression on him, leaving a mark that would never fade. He found himself wanting to know everything about her—where she came from her, her childhood, her favorite color and what song put a smile on her face, what movie made her cry and what food she couldn’t get enough of. There was nothing that he didn’t want to know, and he was more than determined to find out one way or another.


	2. Chapter 2

** Chapter 2 **

Bruce growled under his breath as he ripped another tie off, tossing it over his shoulder before removing another suit. He absentmindedly threw his clothes into the pile that he’d accumulated on his bedroom floor as he walked back over to his closet.

With hands on his hips, his frantic gaze wandered over one expensive suit after another in hopes of finding just the right own. Pulling a dark charcoal grey suit from its hanger, he quickly donned his newest choice in hopes that this was the right one for tonight.

He huffed in frustration as he buttoned up the dress shirt, wondering what had happened to him. He’d never been like this about a date before, never going to all this trouble just to find the right clothes to wear. Of course, he’d never met a woman like Diana Prince before.

She’d intrigued him from the very first moment he saw her, his enchantment with her only expanding from there when he’d talked to her. He was anxious to find out everything about her especially since he’d thought of little else since he’d met her last weekend.

His lips twitched into a frown as he perused his selection of ties, trying to decide which one would best go with his suit. “Alfred!” he yelled, grabbing a couple of ties from the closet before making his way to the full-length mirror. “Alfred! I need help, Alfred!”

Several moments passed before Alfred appeared in the doorway of his bedroom. “Might I inquire as to what all the bellowing is about, Master Bruce?”

“Which tie goes best with this suit?” he asked, his eyebrows knitted as he held first one tie against his shirt and pants before trying the second one.

“Actually, I much prefer this one,” Alfred replied, retrieving a tie from the closet.

“Thanks,” Bruce grumbled as he snatched it out of the British butler’s hands.

Alfred clasped his hands before him, a knowing smile gracing his lips. “May I ask why the panic over a suit?” he asked, glancing at the pile on the floor with an exasperated sigh.

“I have a date tonight,” he snapped as if it was painfully obvious.

“I assumed as much, but I have never seen you quite so…shall we say…obsessed about finding the appropriate attire for a date.”

Bruce slipped on his suit jacket, adjusting the sleeves and his tie as he took another look in the mirror. “I just want to make a good impression. What’s wrong with that?”

“Oh, nothing…nothing at all,” he reassured him. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that your date is with Miss Diana Prince, would it?”

“What? No,” Bruce insisted with a scowl as he put on his cufflinks. “Like I said I just want to make a good impression.”

“I’m sure you shall, Master Bruce,” he assured him. “Where are you taking, Miss Prince?”

“Pierre’s,” he informed him as he ran his fingers through his hair in an effort to tame his ebony locks.

“Good choice,” he agreed. “This must be a very important date if you made the reservations yourself instead of having me take care of it.”

“It’s just a date…nothing more,” he tried to tell him as he turned to face his surrogate father. “Don’t be getting any ideas in your head. I’m not anywhere near settling down and getting married…and don’t even mention children. Not going to happen.”

“Why, Master Bruce, I wouldn’t dare dream of it,” Alfred told him with feigned innocence, but the mischievous twinkle in his eye told him otherwise.

“Right,” Bruce muttered with a roll of his eyes.

“Which car are you taking tonight?”

“The Bugatti,” he answered him as exited his bedroom. “Don’t wait up.”

“Behave yourself,” Alfred called after him as he knelt down and began picking up the discarded suits.

XXX

Diana appraised her appearance in her mirror, turning from one side to the other and back again. She ran her hands over the deep blue material of her dress, hoping that it looked all right on her. An afternoon of shopping had resulted in three new dresses, all of them taking a turn at being paraded before the mirror in hopes of being the chosen one.

She’d finally settled on the deep blue, single shoulder knee-length dress mostly because she didn’t have the time to try the other two dresses on again. The decision had been made for her whether she liked it or not. Grabbing her strappy silver high-heeled sandals, she quickly slipped one on, hopping on one foot to put the other one on as she made her way towards her bathroom.

She finished with the strap of her sandal, spraying her hair one last time. “I’m afraid this is as good as it’s going to get, Diana,” she murmured to herself, checking to make sure her dress hid the scar below her collarbone. A cold chill trembled through her as a distant memory attempted to invade her mind, but she quickly banished it. She refused to allow it to gain a foothold in her life again.

She didn’t know why she felt a flutter of nervousness. It was just a date—nothing more. She’d been warned by just about everyone that Bruce Wayne was a bad bay with a notorious reputation for being a player, but she had seen something different in the man that she had met at the museum gala last weekend.

She didn’t know if it was his irresistible charm or her curiosity that had caused her to agree to a date with him. Heaven knew that she hadn’t been out on a date in more years than she could begin to count. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested in finding someone to build a life with or that she hadn’t had more than her fair share of requests. It was just very difficult for her to let someone into her life.

All she knew was that Bruce Wayne had intrigued her when she’d first met him. She found she wanted to get to know him better despite her fears. She’d told herself that there was absolutely nothing wrong with that or with wanting to have a little companionship. She had to admit that she was quite lonely at times especially being in a new city where she knew absolutely no one. 

Besides, it couldn’t work even if she wanted it to. She couldn’t have the love life that others got to experience. 

“Don’t be so fatalistic, Diana,” she chided herself with a frown as she flipped the light switch off on her way out of the bathroom.

There was a knock at her door, one that caused her to momentarily freeze. The pesky flutter invaded her chest all over again, forcing her to draw a deep breath as she headed towards her door. Releasing a slow, calming breath, she opened it to find her new neighbor at her door.

“What’s up, gorgeous?”

Diana’s lips pursed into a thin line as she tried to keep the smile from fully forming on her face. “Hi, Wally,” she greeted him. “What are you up to this evening?”

“Just checking on my beautiful new neighbor,” he told her, wiggling his eyebrows at her as he leaned a forearm against her doorframe. “Wanna get pizza and watch a movie with me tonight?”

“Thank you, but I can’t,” she revealed, biting at her bottom lip with what she was about to say next. “I…have a date tonight.”

“What?” Wally nearly shrieked. “I’ve asked you out like a million times since you moved in two weeks ago and you’ve turned me down every time since. Who is it? Wait…I don’t want to know. Let me just die a little inside with some dignity.”

“I’m sorry, Wally,” she apologized with a chuckle. “It wasn’t planned. It just sort of…happened.”

“I’m sorry,” a deep baritone voice interjected. “Am I interrupting something?”

Wally West turned to fine none other than Bruce Wayne standing next to him with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. “Bruce freaking Wayne?” Wally cried. “Di, you’re killing me! I can’t compete with that.”

“Good night, Wally,” she politely said, giving him an apologetic smile.

“Have a good time,” Wally said as he slunk away, looking over his shoulder to glare at the famous billionaire.

“Good evening, Bruce,” Diana greeted him as she stepped aside to allow him entrance into her loft.

“Good evening, Diana. You look absolutely beautiful tonight,” he replied as he offered her the bouquet of flowers. “These are for you.”

“Thank you…they’re lovely,” she said, closing her eyes as she inhaled the scents of the various flowers in the bouquet. “Just let me put these in some water and we can leave.”

“I hope you like French food,” Bruce said, stuffing his hands into his pants’ pockets as he began to wander around her living room.

It was an impressive loft, expansive and yet cozy…warm and inviting while being tastefully decorated. It seemed to draw him in and wrap him up with a warm feeling, welcoming him in as if he should always be here. It was decorated with antiques that were a nod to her heritage, framed paintings of Greece’s picturesque landscape adorning the walls.

“I love French food,” she replied. “Unfortunately, with my busy schedule, I don’t get to enjoy it very often.”

“You can enjoy it to your heart’s content tonight,” he reassured her.

Diana reentered the living room, her eyes sparkling like the rarest of diamonds as she paused to pick up her silver wrap and purse from the top of an antique bureau. “I’m ready when you are,” she said, feeling the nervous flutter evaporate as their eyes met.

Bruce offered her his arm, a warm smile on his handsome face. “My car awaits us, princess.”

Diana chuckled softly as they left her loft, her hand settling in the crook of his arm. “Princess?”

“Prince…princess,” he pointed out. “It’s not that far of a leap. Besides, you’re beautiful enough to be a princess.”

A soft blush suffused her cheeks as she dipped her head in embarrassment. “Such flattery so soon?” she teased. “Should I be concerned?”

“I take it you’ve been warned about me by a great many people,” he ventured a guess, doing his best to keep his annoyance from reaching his face.

“You could say that,” she coyly replied.

“Should I be concerned?”

“No, not unless the rumors are true,” she told him with a smirk as he opened her car door for her. “Then, you might have cause for concern.”

“From you or your father?”

A dark shadow passed over Diana’s face with the mention of her father. She quickly tucked it away but not before being noticed by Bruce. “Only me,” she stated in a clipped tone as she got into the car.

Bruce filed that information away for a later conversation as he closed her car door, making his way around to the driver’s side. Starting up his Bugatti, he took off through Gotham, intent on making this an evening that she wouldn’t soon forget. 

With any luck, he would be able to garner a kiss from her tonight as well as a second date.

“I’m so amazed by how beautiful this city is,” Diana murmured as she gazed out the window at the bustling experience of Gotham’s nightlife.

Bruce hid his surprise with her comment as he turned to gaze at her to find a look of wonderment on her face. “I don’t think I’ve heard Gotham described as beautiful before.”

She cast a glance at him, curiosity alight in her eyes. “Really? You don’t see it yourself?”

He shrugged a shoulder as he considered her question. “I guess I’ve never really thought about it,” he confessed. “The crime and corruption that has infiltrated the city on a daily basis seems to overshadow it at times.”

“Sometimes you have to look beyond the harsh exterior to find the beauty lying beneath…like a diamond in the rough,” she thoughtfully replied.

“I guess you’re right,” he agreed with a contemplative nod. “I’ve lived here my whole life, so I suppose I’ve become somewhat cynical about my birthplace. It’s easy to get so swept up in daily life and responsibilities that you don’t take the time to see what’s around you.”

A soft smile touched her lips as she laid a hand on his forearm. “Maybe we can help each other then,” she suggested. “You can show me your city and I’ll show you the beauty in it.”

Bruce returned her smile with one of his one, an expression that caused his piercing blue eyes to light up in a way that caused her breath to catch in her throat. “I’d like that,” he softly said, feeling as though he’d already been granted a guarantee for a second date. 

Now, he couldn’t wait for that kiss.

She had left him wanting more of her by the time he’d left the museum gala a week ago, occupying his thoughts ever since then. No other woman had been able to captivate him quite like she had. Seeing her again tonight had only intensified his desire to kiss her.

Pulling up in front of the restaurant, Bruce got out, making his way around to other side of the car and opening Diana’s door for her. She took his offered arm, allowing him to lead her into the restaurant as the young man got into his Bugatti to park his car for him.

Diana was stunned as they entered the restaurant to find it completely empty save for the maître-d and an orchestra. “Bruce, what is this?” she asked, confused.

“I rented the whole restaurant for the evening,” he sheepishly told her, watching her face for her reaction. He hoped she’d liked the surprise but had to admit he was a little nervous she would be turned off by the notion.

“You went to all that trouble and expense for me?” she softly asked, her eyes drinking in the romantic scene that surrounded her—the single table set for two, the dim lighting and the lit candles.

“It was no trouble…and expense is never an issue, Diana,” he reassured her, lowering his arm to take her hand in his.

“Right this way, sir and madame,” the maître-d politely requested, leading them to their waiting table.

Bruce pulled Diana’s chair out for her, pushing it in as she sat down. The maître-d handed them their menus as Bruce took his seat. “Your waitress will be with you shortly.”

“Thank you, Phillip,” Bruce said, glancing at Diana who still seemed a bit stunned by the revelation. “I hope you don’t mind. As you know, I have quite a reputation…a good portion of it untrue, but not all of it. I didn’t want you to be subjugated to all the attention that would’ve been focused on you in a crowded restaurant. I’m not saying that it still might not happen if the press gets wind of this, but—”

Her hand covering his halted his rambling. “It’s very sweet of you, Bruce,” she reassured him. “It’s just that no one has ever done anything like this for me before. It’s just a little overwhelming, but I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

He seemed to visibly relax as he smiled at her, relieved that she wasn’t upset with him. “I like you, Diana,” he confessed. “I want to get to know you, but if you are afraid of being associated with me, I’ll understand. I just wanted at least one evening alone with you.”

“I’m not worried about your reputation or mine for that matter,” she replied. “I prefer to find out the truth of a person for myself, not in a tabloid or rumors.”

Bruce released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding as he glanced down at his menu. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“And for the record, I like you too,” she confessed, pulling a lock of hair behind her ear, her focus on her menu.

The waitress appeared to take their orders before Bruce could respond, bringing the bottle of wine that he had ordered when he’d made the reservation. “How did you know I liked this wine?” Diana asked, taking a drink.

“I did my homework,” he told her.

“Really?”

“Well, I noticed you tended to request it over champagne at the museum gala last week,” he revealed. “I tend to be a very observant person.”

“I’ll have to remember that,” she said. “So, what else have you observed about me so far?”

Bruce leaned towards her, more than happy that the maître-d had remembered to place their chairs close together as he’d requested. “You’re beautiful…confident with an underlying air of timidity that has me curious. You’re brilliant at what you do, and you miss your home, so you decorate your loft with reminders of it to make you feel better.”

Diana was stunned by his observations of her but couldn’t deny that he was right about most of it. She wasn’t so certain about the beauty or brilliance, but she was quite pleased that he found her to be beautiful. She leaned towards him as well, cupping her chin as her elbow came to rest on top of the table.

“Anything else I should know about?” she softly inquired.

“There is far more to you than meets the eye…and I’m anxious to find out what it is,” he informed her.

She fought back the sense of trepidation that swirled like a cyclone in her stomach, doing her best to keep her expression open as she felt the walls around her heart begin to turn to steel. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to see if you can find out,” she flirted.

“I can’t wait,” he murmured, his gaze falling to her lips.

The waitress appeared at that moment with their dinners, interrupting the romantic moment. They quickly settled back into their seats and into their meals. Conversation was light, revolving mostly around Wayne Enterprises and the various ventures they were involved in. It eventually turned to Diana’s job at the museum and the countless artifacts that had recently been uncovered in Greece and procured by the Gotham Museum.

Bruce reached for the second bottle of wine that was half full, but Diana held up her hand. “No more for me tonight,” she told him.

“Can’t hold your liquor, princess?” he teased her.

“Let’s just say I know my limits.”

He pushed his seat back, standing to his feet and offering her his hand. “Would you care to dance, Miss Prince?”

She took his hand with a smile, setting aside her cloth napkin as she stood to her feet. “I’d love to.”

He led her to the dance floor as the orchestra played, taking her into his arms. Her hand rested on his shoulder as he held her other hand in his, holding her at a respectable distance. Gazing into her eyes, he found himself being plunged far beneath the deep ocean blueness he found there, so much guarded emotion and maybe a hint of apprehension.

It pricked his curiosity, hoping against hope she meant what she had said about wanting to get to know the real him. He didn’t want her to feel trepidation or unease around him, worrying about being taken advantage of or having to be on guard with him.

She was already special to him in a way that took him by surprise. He wasn’t that man that the tabloids reported about, the brute who conquered women left and right just to put another notch on his bedpost. While he’d been with his fair share of women, he wasn’t the cad that the press had made him out to be. 

He was no longer the partier or the playboy, putting that aspect of his life behind him a couple of years ago. While he still enjoyed the occasional party, he was trying hard to create a legacy that his parents would be proud of, living the kind of life that they would approve of.

Diana took him by surprise as she drew closer to him, her hand shifting from his shoulder to the back of his neck as her cheek came to rest against his. He leaned into her as well, thoroughly enjoying the feel of her in his arms and anxiously anticipating the next time that he could do it again.

They ended up dancing for almost two hours, holding each other close as they just moved to the orchestral music. Diana attempted to stifle a yawn as she pulled back, Bruce gazing into her eyes once more. “I think I better get you back home before you fall asleep on me,” he lightly teased her.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized as she ducked her head, a pink blush spreading across her cheeks. “It’s been a wonderful evening, Bruce. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Promise me I can take you out again,” he told her.

“We’ll see,” she replied with an impish grin as he walked her back to the table to retrieve her silver wrap and her purse.

“We’ll see?” he said with a chuckle as he took her hand in his. “I thought we already established that I would show you Gotham and you’d point out the beauty of it to me.”

“That’s what a friend would do,” she clarified as they walked outside, the valet driver pulling up in his car.

He tipped the driver before opening Diana’s car door for her, his mind spinning with what she’d just said. Did she only consider him a friend with no possibility of something more? It couldn’t be. They’d just had the most amazing date that he’d ever been on in his life. Didn’t she feel the intense spark between them too?

“A friend?” he asked as he drove off, glancing at her in disbelief to find her trying not to laugh. “I’d like to think I could be more than just a friend, princess.”

“Well, just have to see,” she told him. “It’s too early to tell yet.”

“Too early to tell?” he questioned her. “I rented a whole restaurant and an orchestra for you.”

“And it was wonderful,” she insisted. “I loved every minute of it.”

“And I’m still only friend material,” he muttered, astonished as he stared at the road ahead of him. This woman never ceased to amaze him. She kept him guessing and completely off balance. It wasn’t something that he was used to when it came to the women that he’d dated in the past.

“Time will tell, Bruce,” she teased him. “You know these things can’t be rushed.”

“You don’t believe in love at first sight or the notion of soulmates?”

“No, not particularly,” she revealed. “There can be an instantaneous connection or spark, but not real love at first sight. That’s just wishful dreaming made for fairy tales.”

“Wow…I can’t say I saw that coming,” he admitted, trying to process it all.

Diana’s lilting laughter filled the car like a melodious song as they drove back to her apartment building. “Not so observant?” she asked.

“I guess I sort of took you for a hopeless romantic,” he admitted.

“Is it because I’m Greek and you’ve heard all of those mythological stories of gods and goddesses being in love?” she questioned him.

“It must be,” he said with a frown.

“It’s okay, Bruce,” she reassured him. “There’s nothing wrong if you believe in it. It’s just not something that I feel is possible.”

Pulling up in front of her apartment, Bruce turned his car off before getting out. Walking around to the other side, he opened her car door for her, trying to figure out his next move. He was just hoping for that kiss that he’d been aching for all evening long.

They walked up the steps to the front of her apartment building, stopping before the door. She pulled out her key, turning to face him. “Thank you, Bruce,” she said with a warm smile that seemed to light up the night brighter than the stars above. “I had a wonderful evening with you.”

Bruce’s eyes fell to her lips again as he began to lean in only to be stopped short by her forefinger coming to rest against his mouth. He immediately jerked back in surprise. “Sorry, that’s for the second date,” she informed him.

“Then, when can I take you out again?” he asked her, clearly disappointed.

“Call me and you’ll find out,” she flirted as she inserted her key and opened the door.

“You’re an intriguing woman, Diana,” he said with a low growl of frustration in his throat.

Diana chuckled softly as she leaned in and kissed him chastely on the cheek, gently patting his chest. “Good evening, Mister Wayne,” she bid him goodnight.

Bruce turned and walked down the steps, pausing when he reached his car. He turned around to find her still standing in the open doorway watching him, a playful smile on her face. “I can already tell that you’re going to be the death of me, Miss Diana Prince.”

“No, I’m just going to make you work for you what you want,” she replied.

He shook his head in absolute amazement, laughter spilling from his lips. “And you think you know what I want?”

“Call me for a second date and we’ll see.”

“I am going to get my kiss, Miss Prince,” he warned her.

“We’ll see,” she said as she turned and entered her building.

Bruce let out a low whistle, knowing that he’d more than met his match in this formidable woman. She was keeping him on his toes and leaving him wanting so much more of her. He just hoped he could wait until their second date. The week between the gala and their date tonight had been torture.

Diana watched from the window as he got into his car and took off, her lips curling into a grin. She hummed softly to herself as she walked up the stairs to her loft apartment, the magical evening replaying all over again in her mind. It had been absolutely perfect in every way.

“Diana! You’re finally back!” Wally greeted her from the doorway of his apartment next to hers. “How was it? Did he try anything? Do I need to hit him for you? I’ll defend your honor for you.”

“Good night, Wally,” Diana merely told him with a grin as she unlocked her door and entered her apartment.

Her cell phone began ringing as she took her heels off. Pulling her phone out of her purse, she found it was Bruce calling her. “Bruce? Is everything all right?”

“I’m calling to ask you out for a second date,” Bruce formally requested, “and of course my kiss.”


	3. Chapter 3

** Chapter 3 **

Diana Prince hurried down the hallway of the Gotham Museum, the quickened click of her high heels against the marble floor creating a rapid cadence that conveyed her anticipation. She had been working on a statue that had recently been unearthed in Peru when she’d received a call about a special delivery to her office.

She pursed her lips in concentration as she thought back over various items that she’d recently ordered including some special equipment for the museum. There was a particular book that she had ordered that she expected to arrive any day now, but they wouldn’t have called her for that.

“Diana!”

She turned at the sound of the voice of her assistant and friend Shayera, finding the red head running towards her with a clipboard in hand. “Shayera,” she greeted her, noticing the grin on her face. “You seem excited about something. Did John finally propose?”

Shayera rolled her eyes as she stopped before the statuesque woman before her. “Yah, like that will ever happen,” she said with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “It seems that you failed to tell me you went out on a date with Bruce Wayne last night.”

The corner of Diana’ lips curled into a lop-sided smile. “It’s no big deal,” she attempted to downplay it despite the faint flutter that hearing his name created in her stomach.

“No big deal?” Shay replied, incredulous. “Does this look like a big deal?”

Shayera handed her a copy of the Gotham newspaper. On the front page was a full colored picture of Bruce and Diana sitting close together in a restaurant, deep in conversation. In bold letters across the top was the headline, “Gotham’s Playboy Woos Greek Goddess”.

Diana chuckled as she handed the newspaper back to her friend. “It was just a simple date,” she claimed. “Nothing happened.”

Shayera’s green eyes narrowed as she scrutinized her. “Come on, Diana!” she exclaimed in exasperation. “It’s freaking playboy Bruce Wayne. He’s like an octopus. You can’t tell me you didn’t have to fight off his advances.”

“I didn’t,” Diana maintained with a frown. “Bruce was a perfect gentleman.”

“He didn’t try to kiss you?” Shayera quizzed her, muttering under her breath to herself, “maybe he really is gay.”

“He wanted a kiss, but I wouldn’t let him,” she revealed as she turned on her heel and began to walk away.

Shayera openly gaped as Diana made her way towards her office. “And he was okay with that?” she almost yelled.

Diana shrugged a shoulder with an indifferent glance back at her. “I didn’t exactly give him much of a choice,” she told her. “Besides, it’s not like it’ll go anywhere. I’m sure he’ll be on to the next new woman in town by tomorrow.”

“Right,” Shay drawled as she ran to catch up to her. “You obviously haven’t been to your office lately.”

“No,” she replied in confusion. “Why?”

“Let’s just say that I think Mr. Wayne is quite taken with you,” Shayera replied with a cryptic air.

Diana’s brow knitted as she quickened her pace. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“I would not say it’s nothing,” she stated. “It’s definitely something…like a really big something. You snagged yourself a boyfriend…and not just any boyfriend but billionaire Bruce Wayne.”

“Bruce Wayne is not my boyfriend,” Diana insisted. “We just went out on one date—nothing more.”

“Well, he definitely wants more,” she told her. “I’m just glad you finally went out for a change. I’ve been trying to get you to go out since you arrived in Gotham two months ago. And it’s not like every single male in the museum isn’t dying to go out with you.”

“Oh my word,” Dina uttered with a gasp as she entered her office to find a large bouquet of red roses in an expensive crystal vase sitting on her desk.

Diana slowly made her way towards her desk, a tender smile forming on her face as she reached for the card attached to the bouquet. She pulled the small card out of the envelope, her smile broadening as a faint blush crept over her cheeks.

“You’re smitten too!” Shayera crowed as she watched Diana’s expression turn from one of shock to delight.

“It’s really nothing,” Diana tried again as she reread the card. “I’m sure he sends roses to everyone he goes out with.”

“Three dozen red roses is not nothing, Diana,” Shay stated as she snatched the card of her hand to read it for herself. “Diana, I had a wonderful time with you last night. I’m anxiously waiting for our second date. Sincerely Yours, Bruce.”

Shayera looked up from the card to stare in shock at the Greek curator, her green eyes wide as her jaw fell open. Diana started to chuckle as she shook her head. “You’re reading far too much into this, Shay,” she tried to tell her as she took her seat at her desk.

“Whatever,” Shay said as she handed the card back to her. “You definitely made an impression on him. When are you going out again?”

“I haven’t said yes yet,” Diana sheepishly replied.

“Why the heck not?” Shay demanded to know as she sat on the edge of Diana’s desk. “The man is hot, charming, and is insanely rich. He might be a bit of a womanizer and a letch, but I heard he’s mind-blowing in bed.”

“Shayera!” Diana cried in shock.

“Well, if the rumors are true, this could be quite a wild ride for you,” Shayera told her with a grin as she wiggled her eyebrows at her. “It’s definitely time you got out and lived a little. You live like a hermit.”

“Forgive me,” Diana said as she leaned back in her chair. “I’m not a party animal like you are. I enjoy staying home, curling up with a cup of tea and a good book. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“B-O-R-I-N-G,” Shayera spelled out. “That is exactly why I think you should give Bruce a chance. He’ll bring you out of that shell you’ve locked yourself up in.”

Diana laughed as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “You make me sound like a nun,” she told her. “I like to go out and have fun. I just enjoy quiet evenings in.”

“Boring,” Shayera repeated. “You call Bruce Wayne right now. Thank him for the flowers and tell him that you’d love to go out with him.”

“Love?”

“Yes, love,” Shay sternly stated in no uncertain terms. “Don’t be so scared of it, Diana. It won’t bite and you just might have a great time too. It’s time you take a chance for once.”

“But—”

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” she interrupted her with a wink. “Whoa, I gotta run. The new shipment is supposed to be arriving any minute now.”

“The one from Paris?”

“Oui, oui,” Shayera confirmed with a grin as she stood to her feet. “Text him right now.”

Diana shook her head in amusement as she watched Shayera leave her office, her gaze wandering back to the enormous bouquet of red roses. She’d never received anything like this before. To say that it was a little overwhelming was an understatement, but it was incredibly flattering at the same time.

She slowly raked her teeth over her bottom lip as she pulled up her text messages. She smiled at the text message she found from Bruce.

“When am I going to get my yes for a second date?” he had texted her about thirty minutes ago.

“Eventually,” she texted back. “Thank you for the roses and the crystal vase. They’re beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you are,” he responded.

Diana could feel her cheeks grow warm with the compliment. She didn’t know why she was reacting this way. No other man had been able to evoke these reactions in her like this. It caused a small swell of panic to form in the pit of her stomach.

Before she could think up a suitable response to his compliment, her phone chimed again. “Next time I’ll send you pink orchids.”

Diana stared at the text message on her phone, her brow furrowing in disbelief. “Those are my favorite flowers. How did you know that?”

“I have my ways, Ms. Princes.”

“You’re a very intriguing man, Mr. Wayne.”

“Intriguing in a good way I hope.”

“Definitely.”

“I really like that answer.”

“Shouldn’t you be working? It is the middle of the afternoon.”

“I’m supposed to be going to a meeting right now, but I’d much rather talk to you.”

“We’re not actually talking.”

“It’s better than not being able to talk to you at all.”

“I’m flattered, but you should go to your meeting. I don’t want to be the reason you miss your meeting.”

“Fine, but I’m expecting an answer very soon…and my kiss.”

“We’ll see. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Diana tilted her chair back, a grin on her face as she lightly caressed the screen of her phone with her thumb, finding herself wishing that it was actually him. She’d never felt this way about a man before. Her typical fears of letting him get too close to her seemed to evaporate around him for some reason she couldn’t begin to understand or explain.

She knew that she still needed to be cautious if she chose to move forward with this relationship. She didn’t want him to become too attached to her or fall in love with her. It could prove to be dangerous, not just for him but for her too. Could her heart handle a relationship right now…actually find happiness after all that she’d been through?

Tears attempted to gather in her eyes, but she just as quickly banished them with a resolve that was felt bone deep. She refused to give in to any form of self-pity or sorrow. She made up her mind that she would enjoy what time she had to spend with Bruce while it lasted.

She deserved that much…didn’t she?

She began to cough, an attack that had her immediately reaching for the inhaler she kept in the top drawer of her desk. She inhaled the medicine as her eyes watered with an overwhelming need to cough again. She quickly grabbed her bottle of water, praying the attack would subside.

 _“Please…not now,”_ she silently prayed.

XXX

“What are your thoughts on proceeding with the deal?”

Bruce Wayne sat up a little straighter in his chair, schooling his expression and doing his best not to appear as guilty as he was feeling at that particular moment. “I think that we could definitely make it work,” he agreed with a definitive nod. “I say let’s do it, Oliver.”

Oliver Queen smirked as he stared down his childhood friend. “I know that look on your face, Bruce,” he flatly stated. “What’s her name…and it had better not be Natalie.”

Bruce chuckled in response, but it turned into a groan accompanied by a grimace. “No way,” he adamantly said. “Been down that road too many times.”

“And got burned badly every single time,” Ollie pointed out

“Thank you for reminding of that fact,” Bruce replied with a frown. “And what makes you think that it’s even a woman? Maybe I’m thinking about the money your company is going to make me?”

It was Oliver’s turn to laugh as he gathered his papers to put into his briefcase. “We’ve known each other since we were three years old. There’s nothing you can get past me. It’s that Greek curator, isn’t it?”

“What if I said yes?” he furtively asked, a Cheshire grin on his face.

“I’d say you are one lucky man,” Oliver told him. “She’s gorgeous.”

“Yes, she is, but she’s so much more than that,” he revealed, his blue eyes alight with wonder as he thought about her. “She’s intelligent, charming, witty, and she keeps me on my toes. I’m constantly wondering what she’ll say next or how she’s going to respond.”

“That’s almost impossible to do to you,” he agreed. “I think I’m hearing wedding bells for the elusive playboy bachelor of Gotham.”

Bruce adamantly shook his head in disagreement. “I’m not exactly the marrying type, Ol,” he responded with a wince at the thought.

“I’ve always said that when the right woman came along, you’d change your mind,” he countered with a confident air. “I think that maybe she has. I’ve never seen you like this with any other woman. I think she’s the one.”

Bruce just smirked, deciding that his friend had finally lost his mind. “This coming from the man who’s been dating Dinah for a year and has yet to even look at an engagement ring.”

“Hey now,” Ollie said as he held up his hands in defense. “Don’t make this about me. We’re talking about your love life here, not mine. Things are perfectly fine just the way that it is.”

“You can’t tell me that Dinah hasn’t been dropping hints…leaving bridal magazines around the house…talking about having a baby someday?”

Oliver released a sigh as his shoulders sank along with his spirits. “Yah, there has been some of that.”

“You know it’s not a bad thing,” Bruce reminded him. “Getting married and starting a family is usually viewed as highly desirable.”

“This coming from the self-proclaimed bachelor for life,” Ollie said with a laugh.

“Hey, I never said it was for me, but I think it’s definitely something you should consider,” he replied. “Don’t you love her?”

“Of course, I love Dinah,” Ollie quickly confirmed. “I do want to marry her someday, but…well…it’s a little terrifying. What if I screw this up? What if I’m a horrible husband?”

Bruce grinned as he crossed his arms against his chest. “I guarantee you’ll screw it up at least a dozen times in the first six months of marriage.”

“Gee, thanks for the pep talk,” Ollie sarcastically snapped.

“Ollie, I’m just saying that every husband in the history of time has screwed up at one point or other,” he explained. “That’s why God created floral shops. It’s how you handle the screw up that will test the strength of your love.”

“Wow…when did you become such a romantic?”

“I’m not,” Bruce assured him as he stood to his feet. “I’m just smart enough not to get married in the first place.”

“I bet you ten thousand dollars you’ll be engaged inside of six months.”

“Deal,” Bruce said, shaking his friend’s hand.

Checking his watch, he knew that he had to hurry. He had a very important errand to run before he went home for the evening. He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

XXX

Diana made her way to the back door of the museum, more than ready to soak in a hot bubble bath. She stretched her neck out, trying to work out the kinks that had formed while working on the statue from Peru. It had been tedious and time-consuming and yet fascinating to work on at the same time.

She couldn’t help but smile to herself as she thought about the large bouquet of red roses that Bruce had sent her today. He made her feel so beautiful…so desirable in ways that she had never imagined. She knew that she shouldn’t tease him like she did or leave him wondering if she’d say yes to a second day, but it was just so much fun. She loved bantering with him, keeping him guessing and wondering. She hoped he enjoyed it as much as she did.

Exiting the museum, she checked her cell phone, disappointed to find no new text messages from Bruce, making her wonder if maybe she had pushed him too far. She felt her stomach drop into her feet with the thought that maybe he had given up on her. Had she already screwed this up?

Reaching her SUV, Diana stopped short at the sight of a single pink orchid on the windshield. She couldn’t keep her smile at bay as she made her way to her car, her heart beating a little harder. Picking up the pink orchid, she brought it to her nose as her eyes momentarily fell closed, savoring the sweet scent.

Laying the orchid aside, she picked up the white envelope that was resting beneath it, opening it to find two tickets to the ballet. She could hardly believe that Bruce would go to all this trouble just for her, sending her roses and now tickets to the ballet.

Her cell phone rang at that moment, checking it to find it was the man she’d been thinking about. “Yes,” she excitedly exclaimed without preamble before he even had a chance to utter a word.

His deep, baritone chuckle caused a shiver to roll through her. “I didn’t even say anything yet.”

“I’d love to go to the ballet with you,” she clarified.

“I’m glad,” he replied. “Was it the roses or the ballet tickets that made you say yes.”

“I was always going to say yes, but I wanted to see how badly you wanted a second date with me.”

“I am going to get my kiss,” he adamantly stated with obvious determination in his voice.

“We’ll see,” she coyly said with a smirk.

“You are such a tease, Ms. Prince.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all,” he reassured her, his voice husky with unmistakable desire. “You’re unlike any woman I’ve ever met before. It’s intriguing and vexing at the same time.”

“Well, I don’t want to vex you.”

“I assure you it’s in a good way,” he told her. “So, I’ll see you this Friday night.”

“I’ll see you then.”

“I’ll pick you up at six for dinner first if you’d like.”

“I’d like that, but you still have to show me around Gotham some time.”

“How about this Saturday?”

“Two dates two days in a row?” she questioned him with a chuckle. “My, you must be desperate for some company.”

“Only your company,” he flirted. “I know what I like when I see it.”

“And do you like what you see?”

“Very much,” he assured her.

“Thank you again for the roses,” she said, changing the subject. “It wasn’t necessary, but I appreciate the gesture.”

“I enjoy putting that beautiful smile on our face.”

Diana quickly began looking around for him, warmth spreading through her with the thought of him watching her. “Are you here?”

“Yes, you look amazing in that red dress,” he confirmed. “I wanted to make sure you got the tickets before someone stole them off your car.”

“You know you could have delivered them in person.”

“Would I have gotten my kiss if I had?”

Diana chuckled with his persistence. “I guess we’ll never know, now will we?”

“You’re killing me, Diana.”

“I hope not yet,” she replied. “I’m anxious to see where this goes.”

“I have several ideas in mind.”

“I hope they’re all good.”

“They’re very good,” he reassured her. “I’m anxious to explore all of them with you.”

“Good night, Bruce,” she told him with a laugh.

“Good night, Diana.”

Bruce watched as she smelled the orchid once more, mesmerized by the pleasure that filled her expression with such a simple flower. He had a feeling that was just the way that she was—three dozen roses or a single orchid didn’t matter to her. Either brought about so much happiness in her. He found he always wanted to be the one to make her happy, to put that enchanting smile on her face.

Driving away, he found himself eagerly anticipating Friday’s date, determined to finally get the kiss from her that he’d been aching for since he’d first met her.


	4. Chapter 4

** Chapter 4 **

Bruce checked his watch for at least the tenth time since leaving the manor, wishing that Alfred would drive faster. His anticipation of seeing Diana again was beginning to get the better of him and he knew it. He forced himself to draw a deep, calming breath in an effort to relax, reminding himself he was Bruce Wayne. He didn’t get upright when it came to a woman.

Alfred smirked at him in the rearview mirror. He’d never really seen his surrogate son quite like this before about a woman. He was always so calm and collected, confident and charming to the point that women were continually falling all over themselves just to get close to him. It was quite amusing to see the tables had been turned on the fabled playboy of Gotham.

“Nervous, Master Bruce?”

Bruce looked up sharply, his cobalt blue eyes narrowing instantly with the amused look on Alfred’s face. “No, it’s just that you’re driving too slow.”

“I’m going the speed limit, sir,” he replied. “You wouldn’t want me to speed and risk getting a ticket, would you? We’d certainly be late then.”

“We’re going to be late at this rate anyway,” he grumbled.

Alfred chuckled as he turned on his turn signal. “Tosh, Master Bruce,” he admonished him. “We’re almost five minutes early.”

“Whatever,” he muttered under his breath as he adjusted his cufflinks.

He peered out the window, relieved when he spotted her upscale apartment building. It had been an incredibly long week, being forced to wait to see her again until today. He must have picked up his phone to call or text her at least a hundred times only to force himself to put his phone down.

He didn’t want to come on too strong and scare her away. She seemed somewhat hesitant at times about going out with him. He didn’t feel as though it was because it was him as much as it was the secrets that she seemed to carry…the things that she carried close to her heart. 

He found himself more than anxious to unravel the enchanting mystery known as Diana Prince.

An unexpected quiver of nervousness invaded his stomach as the limo pulled to a stop in front of her building. Not bothering to wait for Alfred, he quickly opened the back door and emerged from the car. He stopped short at the sight of Diana already coming through the front door of her apartment instead of waiting upstairs for him to escort her down.

She looked exquisite in a black, A-line dress with cap sleeves. The top was adorned with black lace, her slim waist accentuated with a black ribbon. The skirt was full-length black satin that flowed like an ebony river. Her ravine hair was braided across the top, wrapping around into an intricate updo in the back. Her red lips curled, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him. It made his heart skip a beat as she descended the steps and made her way towards him.

Before he could collect his thoughts or utter a single word, Diana came to a stop before him, her hand coming to rest against his cheek. She took him completely by surprise when she suddenly pressed her lips to his, kissing him and short-circuiting his brain. His lips finally began to move against hers, his right hand sliding along her jaw to settle on the back of her neck as his left arm snaked around her waist to draw her closer to him.

He felt her melt into him with an almost imperceptible sigh that echoed in his mind. The kiss that he’d been longing for was far better than anything he’d ever dreamed. Unfortunately, it was over all too soon for his liking as she withdrew with a soft gasp. He was delighted when she didn’t immediately pull away from him, instead maintaining the intimate contact with him.

His lips curved into a pleased smile as he gazed deeply into her cerulean eyes. “Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” he asked.

“I promised you a kiss on our second date,” she reminded him as her hand came to rest against his chest.

“And here I thought you were going to make me what until our date was over before I got my kiss,” he lightly teased her.

“I believe you more than earned it,” she assured him. “Besides, you look very handsome in your tux and I didn’t think that I could wait that long.”

A throat-clearing by Alfred forced them to acknowledge that they weren’t alone. “Sir, if I may, we should be leaving if we’re going to make your dinner reservations,” the British butler reminded him.

“Yes…right…of course,” Bruce replied, still flustered by Diana’s kiss. “Diana, this is Alfred Pennyworth. He’s my butler and the man who raised me after my parents died.”

Diana gifted him with a genial smile as she shook his offered hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet the person responsible for raising such a remarkable man.”

Alfred raised a questioning eyebrow at Bruce, his lips twitching with amusement. “Thank you for your kind words, but I’m afraid I can’t take all the credit,” he told her, pausing to kiss her hand. “I’m only responsible for years eight through eighteen. Anything after that is all his fault.”

“I’m thankful he had someone like you to care for him after he lost his parents,” she replied. “I can’t bear the thought of him being all alone after such a painful loss.”

“I must admit he can be quite a handful, but I believe his parents would be very proud of the man that he has become,” Alfred told her.

“I think we should be going now,” Bruce interrupted with a frown at his butler, not wanting to share her with him. He swiftly snatched Diana’s hand from Alfred’s in order to help her into the back of the limo.

Diana climbed inside to find a bouquet of pink orchards waiting for her. “Bruce, you shouldn’t have,” she said, bringing the flowers to her nose and inhaling the sweet scent.

“I wanted to,” he reassured her. “I love the smile that they put on your face.”

“Thank you, Bruce,” she said as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. “They’re lovely.”

“Not nearly as lovely as you,” he flirted, already looking forward to their next kiss. He still couldn’t believe that she had kissed him first. She never ceased to keep him off-balanced and always wondering what she would do next.

A soft pink glow suffused her face as she tilted her head slightly. “Where are we going to eat?” she asked.

He smiled to himself as she changed the subject, knowing how his compliments always seemed to fluster her. “I hope you don’t mind Italian.”

“It sounds perfect,” she readily decided. “I love Lo Spaghetto al Pomodoro.”

Bruce looked at her with a stunned expression. “I must admit I didn’t know if Greeks ate Italian food,” he teased her.

“My mother had a sister who married an Italian gentleman,” she clarified. “We would visit them in Italy when we could. That’s when I fell in love with Italian food.”

“I would love to hear more about your family,” he said, his fingers caressing her shoulder. “Your family stounds fascinating.”

He felt Diana stiffen beneath his touch, his eyebrows knitting with concern as she focused on the bouquet of flowers in her lap. “I suppose so,” she softly uttered.

“I’m sorry, Diana,” he apologized. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No,” she quickly confessed. “I too lost my family years ago.”

“Diana, I’m so sorry,” he replied, tightening his hold on her as he pulled her close to him. “I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay,” she reassured him, lifting her chin to meet his gaze to find his eyes filled with such understanding and compassion. “I promise…I’ll tell you about it someday…just not today.”

The corner of his lips quirked as he pressed his forehead against hers. “So, you plan on me being around after this weekend?” he teased, hoping to lighten the mood. “I have to say I’m very happy about that.”

Diana couldn’t help but smile at his teasing. “We’ll see,” she cryptically replied.

“That’s what you said about my kiss and I already got that,” he flirted, his voice taking on a decidedly husky quality as his nose brushed against hers.

“You are very dangerous, Bruce Wayne,” she murmured as her eyes fell closed, his close proximity and the feel of his lips lingering so close to hers creating a spark of excitement within her. “I have a feeling you’re going to be trouble.”

Bruce’s throaty chuckle created a sense of warmth that pooled in her stomach. “Well, I hope I haven’t created too much of a commotion at the museum for you.”

“Mostly just with my assistant Shayera,” Diana responded as she retreated just enough to catch the breath he was stealing. “She’s dying to meet you.”

“I’ll have to stop by the museum sometime to visit you then.”

“Actually, Shayera wants us to stop by her boyfriend’s bar sometime.”

“What bar does he own?”

“The Green Lantern,” she replied. “He and his friend Kyle own it. I have no idea where they came up with the name for the bar. It’s very unique.”

“I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been there,” he commented. “Maybe we’ll have to swing by there tomorrow while I’m showing you the sights of Gotham.”

“I’d like that,” she agreed, her previous sorrow vanishing.

He took the given opportunity to softly kiss her, relishing the feel of her lips against his. He didn’t want the moment to end, but he could feel the car pulling to a stop. He knew they were at the restaurant already, Alfred interrupting them at any moment now.

Retreating, Bruce took her hand in his, lacing their fingers as Alfred opened the back door. He exited the car first, gently drawing her out with him. He led her inside the restaurant, the maître-d escorting them to Bruce’s private table that was awaiting their arrival. The waitress immediately appeared with a bottle of wine, taking their orders before leaving them alone once more.

“Do you have a private table at every restaurant in Gotham?” she asked, laughing.

“Yes,” he simply stated as he reached out and took her hand in his once more, already missing the contact that he’d shared with her in the limo. “How have you been settling in at the museum?”

“Very well,” she replied. “I love my job and the people that I work with are amazing.”

“And what about Gotham?”

“It’s a fascinating city,” she readily decided. “I’m anxious to explore it and get to know it the way that you do.”

“And the people?” he questioned her with a faint smirk, anxious to hear her thoughts.

The corners of her lips curled with his question. “Very interesting so far,” she enigmatically responded. “I’m anxious to get to know the citizens of Gotham.”

“Anyone in particular?” he flirted as he leaned in, hoping to steal another kiss.

She chuckled as she cupped her chin with her hand, her elbow coming to rest on the table as she gazed into his piercing blue eyes. “There is maybe one person,” she coyly said.

“Anyone I might know?”

“You might,” she murmured as her eyes fell to his lips.

“I hope I’m not going to be jealous of this person.”

“Bruce?”

The billionaire instantly froze with the all too familiar voice that interrupted their playful flirting. He pulled back, seating himself fully in his chair once more as he looked up to see the very person he’d hoped never to see again. “Natalie,” he coolly greeted her with a curt nod and a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Diana turned to look at Natalie standing at their table. She was a stunning petite, young woman with chestnut brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a red dress that was quite revealing, the skirt stopping at mid-thigh. Her green eyes shifted to Diana, smiling frostily at her before returning her attention to Bruce.

“It’s been far too long, Bruce,” she practically purred. “Where have you been hiding?”

“I’ve been busy with Wayne Enterprises,” he tersely responded.

“You’ve never been all that interested in your dad’s business before,” Natalie noted. “What’s the draw now?”

“I felt it was past time that I made an effort.”

“Hello, I’m Natalie,” she abruptly introduced herself to Diana, extending her hand to Bruce’s date.

“Diana Prince,” she simply stated as she shook the woman’s hand, feeling an unanticipated twinge of jealousy rise up within her. It was obvious that this woman had been very close to Bruce at one time, making her wonder just how close they still were.

“Ah, the new Greek curator,” she said with an air of disdain. “Bruce always was quick to pounce on the newest skirt in Gotham. I wouldn’t get too attached to him, honey. He’ll be on to the next sex kitten by next week.”

“Natalie,” Bruce sternly growled her name. “If you’ll excuse us, we’d like to get back to our dinner.”

Natalie visibly bristled, her lips thinning with anger. “I see,” she stated. “It’s good to see you again, Bruce. We’ll have to get together sometime soon and reminisce about old times…maybe create some more steamy memories together. It was nice to meet you, Dana.”

Bruce just glared at her as she sauntered away, his hands clenched tightly into fists. “I’m sorry, Diana,” he apologized as he turned to look at her. “I had no idea she was going to be here tonight.”

“Old flame?” she asked as she reached for her glass of wine.

“Unfortunately,” he admitted with a sigh. “We were actually engaged over a year ago, but she betrayed me and I broke our engagement off. She can’t seem to get past it and move on with her life.”

“Have you?” she ventured, somewhat anxious about his response.

Bruce studied her for a long moment as he considered his response. “It has taken some time, but I can honestly say that I have moved on,” he confessed with a reassuring smile. “Besides, I’ve found someone else that I’d much rather spend my time with.”

Diana dipped her head with a smile, pleased with his answer. “Do I happen to know this person?”

“Better than anyone,” he softly said, forcing Diana to look up to find his lips lingering close to her.

She met his kiss with a soft moan, her lips parting and inviting him to taste her. He didn’t hesitate as he deepened the kiss, the anger he had felt with the sight of Natalie quickly forgotten in the wake of his growing desire for the Greek curator who had captured his attention from the very beginning.

“I’m sorry she hurt her,” she murmured as she brushed her lips against his once more before settling back into her chair.

“It’s in the past,” he told her as he took her hand once more. “I’m only looking forward to the future now.”

“And how does your future look?”

“It’s looking very, very good,” he huskily replied with a grin, “but I’ll let you know more tomorrow.”

“My, but you’re pretty sure of yourself,” she said with a giggle.

Bruce laughed with her response. “I’m looking forward to spending the day with you tomorrow,” he admitted. “Is there any particular place that you would like to start?”

“I’m leaving it all in your capable hands,” she revealed. “I’m completely at your mercy.”

“That’s an awful lot of pressure, princess.”

“I’m sure you’re more than up to the task, Mister Wayne,” she reassured him as their meal was served.

XXX

Bruce held her hand during the ballet performance, his thumb caressing her soft skin. Sitting in his private balcony, they were afforded a perfect view of the ballet, but Bruce found it more than difficult to focus on anything but the woman sitting next to him.

She was completely captivated by the performance taking place on stage, an expression of awe and wonderment gracing her face. The corners of her lips were fixed into a smile of delight that only made him that much more pleased that he had chosen correctly in asking her to the ballet.

He couldn’t help wondering what had happened to her family that had caused her to become so upset in the limo. While he was curious, he knew that he needed to wait for her to feel comfortable enough to talk to him about it. Searching for the information himself felt like a betrayal of her privacy. He knew that he couldn’t do that to her. He found himself already caring about her too much to hurt her in that way.

He found it ironic that they’d both lost their parents…both orphans in the world. He felt an inexplicable bond with her, understanding all too well what it was like for someone to lose their parents. It was a horrible loss that they might be able to help each other heal from.

The crowd suddenly erupted with applause as the performance ended, Diana and Bruce standing to their feet to join in the adulation. Diana turned to Bruce, her face beaming with excitement. She enveloped him in her arms, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

“Thank you, Bruce,” she softly said. “That was truly amazing.”

Bruce returned her embrace, savoring the feel of her in his arms. “You’re more than welcome, princess.”

“It was beautiful,” she told him as she released him. “I’ve never been to a ballet performance before.”

He took hold of her hand, leading her out of the balcony. “I had a feeling that you would enjoy it.”

“Do you come here often?”

“Actually, not very often,” he confessed. “I just might have to come more frequently now that I have someone to enjoy it with me.”

Diana grinned in response, wondering how in the world she had ever managed to capture the attention of such an amazing man. “Well, tomorrow lunch and dinner are on me.”

“Diana, I can’t let you pay for my meal,” Bruce admonished her as they walked out into the night air to find Alfred and limo waiting for them. “Alfred would have my head. Isn’t that right, Alfred?”

“Quite right, Master Bruce,” Alfred confirmed as he opened the back-passenger door for them. “I always hoped that I had raised him to be a proper gentleman. I am more than pleased to see that I have not failed in that endeavor.”

“He has been a perfect gentleman, Alfred,” Diana reassured him as she entered the back of the limo.

Bruce gave Alfred a cocky smirk before sliding in beside Diana. She quickly turned to him, a look of pure determination lining her face. “Bruce, I’m serious,” she insisted, pursing her red lips as she turned to face him. “You have been so kind and generous. I want to do something for you.”

“How about a compromise?” he suggested. “I’ll let you treat me to lunch if I can buy you dinner.”

Diana’s brow furrowed as she considered his suggestion. “That doesn’t seem very fair,” she decided. “Can I invite you to my apartment for dinner next week?”

Bruce’s lips spread into a devious grin. “Are you cooking?”

“Yes, I will prepare an authentic Greek meal for you.”

“I would love to.”

“Excellent,” she replied, delighted. “What night works best for you?”

“Any night except Tuesday,” he said. “I have a business meeting that evening. What about Wednesday?”

Diana shook her head, a momentary flicker of anxiety passing over her face that didn’t go unnoticed by Bruce. “I can’t,” she firmly stated with a shake of her head. “I have a very important appointment right after work.”

Bruce wanted to ask her what kind of appointment but decided not to press her on it. He hoped she’d open up more to him with time. Pushing her right now could only end up driving her away. “How about Thursday?”

Her lips curved up as her eyes brightened. “That should work for me.”

“Great,” he said. “I’ll be there.”

“Come hungry,” she warned him with her thick Greek accent that only served to heat his blood as she held a finger up at him. “I guarantee you won’t be able to put your fork down once you start eating.”

Bruce chuckled as he grabbed her forefinger, bringing it to his lips to kiss the tip of it before lacing his fingers with hers. “It depends, princess,” he flirted. “Are you a good cook?”

“I guess you’re going to have to wait until Thursday to find out,” she coquettishly responded, mischief dancing in her sapphire eyes.

He shook his head in amusement as well as fascination. “You enjoy making me wait and suffer, don’t you?”

“It heightens the anticipation,” she seductively murmured as she slowly inched closer to him. “Don’t you agree?”

“Definitely,” he whispered before capturing her lips.

The kiss was soon interrupted when Alfred pulled up in front of her apartment building. Bruce sighed in reluctant acceptance, knowing that their date was over. He found himself already looking forward to spending the day with her tomorrow. “What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?” he asked, not yet ready to let go of her.

“It depends,” she thoughtfully replied. “Are you a morning person?”

“Not typically,” he admitted.

“Then ten o’clock is fine.”

“I’ll be here,” he promised her, releasing his hold on her and opening the limo door. He immediately turned and offered her his hand, helping her out of the car. “Be prepared to be swept off your feet, princess.”

“I believe I might already have been,” she flirted as they walked hand in hand up the steps to her apartment building, the bouquet of orchids in her other hand. “And no more flowers. My apartment is going to start looking like a funeral home.”

The deep, baritone sound that rolled past his lips warmed her clear through to her toes. “Fine, no more flowers tomorrow,” he swore to her. “I can’t guarantee that will be the case on Monday when you go to work or on Thursday when I come for dinner.”

They stopped before the apartment building doors holding hands, both suddenly feeling shy. “I had a wonderful time,” she softly said. “Thank you for a perfect evening.”

“It was all my pleasure,” he assured her. “I love spending time with you.”

She tipped her head slightly in embarrassment. “I enjoy spending time with you too.”

He swiftly claimed her lips in a kiss that was warm and sweet, savoring the moment. He finally pulled away, knowing he couldn’t let it go any further right now. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Sleep well,” she replied.

She stood on the steps, watching Bruce as he made his way towards the limo. He paused at the passenger door, turning to look at her once more. He gifted her with an affectionate smile before getting inside and driving away.

Diana released a nervous breath as she made her way up to her loft apartment. She felt as though she was walking on air, her heart soaring with the wonderful evening that she’d had with Bruce. She’d never felt like this before with anyone, not even Christian had made her feel this way.

Thoughts of Christian swiftly invaded her mind and caused a shiver of dread to race through her as she entered her apartment. She quickly banished him from her thoughts, refusing to dwell on the past or allow it to ruin her perfect evening. She kicked her heels off as she pulled her cell phone from her clutch, finding a text message from Bruce.

“I’m sorry I caused you pain by asking about your family. I hope with time you’ll trust me with your story. Sleep well, princess.”

Tears instantly filled her eyes, a single drop falling onto the screen of her cellphone. She brushed it away with her thumb as unwanted tears continually trailed down her cheeks. How could she possibly tell him about her family and expect him to want to have anything to do with her?

The thought made her stomach churn with dread as she released a tearful gasp that caused her body to shudder. She’d expected that he’d eventually want to know all about her family and Greece. What she hadn’t expected was beginning to fall for him so soon.


	5. Chapter 5

** Chapter 5 **

“Bruce! Give it to me!” Diana demanded as she lunged at him only to grab nothing but a handful of air.

“Just wait your turn,” he replied with a laugh as he held the picture up and out of her reach. “I want to see it first.”

“That’s not fair,” she huffed with a mock glare as she stared him down.

“Hey, I paid for the picture,” he reminded her with a sweet smile.

“I’m the one that suggested we come to the park,” she pointed out, chin lifted in defiance.

“You wouldn’t have known about it unless I told you,” he smoothly shot back as he brought the picture down in front of him to look at it.

Diana refused to concede defeat, instead quickly sliding up beside him and pressing her cheek against his. “Not bad I guess,” she commented.

“Not bad? I think it’s perfect,” he readily decided, enjoying the feel of her pressed against his side as well as her cherry blossom scent.

Diana frowned as she stared at the picture. “I really don’t like having my picture taken.”

“Really?” he asked as he pulled away to look at her.

She watched in amusement as he pulled his cell phone out and snapped a picture of it before handing the actual photograph to her. “Here, you can keep it as a reminder of the day.”

Diana grinned at him. “And what do you plan to do with the picture on your phone?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he flirted, his blue eyes gleaming with mischief.

“You know I could get the information out of you,” she seductively replied as she leaned in closer to him.

“Oh, really?” he questioned her with a raised eyebrow, his eyes falling to her red lips. “And how would you accomplish that?”

“I have my ways,” she cryptically teased as she abruptly turned on her heel and walked away.

Bruce quickly followed her, capturing her hand to hold in his. “So, where to now?”

“I really enjoyed the park,” she thoughtfully responded. “Is there anything else that we can do outside?”

“There’s an outdoor market down by the docks,” he suggested. “Want to check it out?”

“That sounds perfect.”

“It’s not far from here if you don’t mind walking.”

“I love being outside after being cooped up inside the museum all week.”

“I know what you mean,” he replied with a visible grimace. “I think that was part of the reason I didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps and run Wayne Enterprises. The idea of being stuck behind a desk all day wasn’t very appealing.”

“You had a change of mind?”

Bruce frowned as he thought about it, his eyebrows scrunching together. “I guess it was more of a change of heart,” he attempted to explain. “I realized that I could either make my parents proud even though they’re gone and honor their memory, or I could tarnish the family name and disgrace them. So, I’m behind a desk all day.”

“But do you enjoy it?”

“I’m actually beginning to,” he admitted. “I’ve recently poured quite a bit more money into the Research and Development department. I also recently hired a tech genius to head it up by the name of Victor Stone. I’m really excited about the technological advances that we’re going to create.”

“That sounds amazing,” she remarked. “I’m glad that you’re able to find joy in your work. If you don’t have a love and a connection with what you do, you’ll always feel unsettled and unhappy.”

“You sound like you speak from experience,” he commented as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Do you enjoy what you do?”

A dreamy smile appeared on her face. “I love it,” she confessed, a laugh escaping as she glanced at him. “I guess I’m what you could call a nerd. I’ve always loved history and antiques.”

Bruce shook his head, finding himself completely charmed by her. “I would never call you a nerd for loving history.”

“How many ten-year-old girls love to spend their days in antique shops, or her nose buried in books?” she asked him with a giggle.

“You spent your time in antique shops?”

Diana dipped her head in embarrassment, her smile growing. “Yes,” she confirmed. “My mother owned an antique shop. I spent every free moment there. I also go shopping for antiques with her. She’d even let me pick out antiques to sell in her shop.”

“You know I’ve been wanting to redecorate the manor,” he revealed. “It’s not been updated since before my parents died. Would you be willing to help me?”

“I don’t know about my decorating skills, but I’d love to help you look for antiques.”

“Perfect,” he readily replied. “I think you have more talent than you give yourself credit for. Your loft apartment looks amazing.”

Suddenly distracted, Diana tightened her hold on his hand, tugging on his arm. “Hey, she’s selling ice cream!” she exclaimed. “We have to get some. It’s my treat.”

Bruce allowed Diana to drag him towards the ice cream cart, amused by her enthusiasm. “Diana, you already paid for lunch.”

“And you paid for our picture to be taken by the photographer,” she pointed out. “I’m going to pay for ice cream.”

“May I help you, miss?” the girl asked as they stopped before her cart.

“I’ll take two scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough please,” Diana requested, turning to Bruce. “What flavor do want?”

“I’ll just take one scoop of Butter Pecan,” he said.

“He’ll take two scoops…both in a waffle cone…please.”

“Diana, I’m still full from lunch,” he tried to tell her.

“It’s ice cream,” she tried to tell him. “There’s always room for ice cream.”

Bruce could only laugh as she handed him his ice cream cone. “I never would’ve guessed you were so addicted to ice cream.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” she flirted as she paid the girl and took her ice cream cone.

“Well, I’m definitely anxious to learn everything.”

Diana’s expression grew pensive for a moment, a small smile reaching her lips but not her eyes. “We’ll see,” she simply replied as she began to walk away with her ice cream cone in hand.

Bruce’s eye narrowed with worry of his own, wondering what it was that the Greek curator was hiding. Whatever it was, she obviously didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk to him about it. He greatly hoped with time that would change soon. He wanted to be able to help her through it or get past it if he could.

Catching up to her, he glanced at the sky, noticing that clouds were beginning to gather. He hoped the rain held off until after their day together was over. It was already going faster than he’d hoped. They’d met at ten this morning and already it was mid-afternoon. 

“What are you frowning for?” she asked, somewhat apprehensive about his response. Was he upset with her for not telling him more about her life?

“I was just thinking this day is going by way too fast,” he confessed, pausing to lick his ice cream cone before it could drip on his hand. “I’m already dreading taking you home this evening.”

Diana smiled fondly at him. “We still have several hours left in our day so let’s enjoy it.”

“You’re right,” he readily agreed. “So, tell me…how does a woman who’s addicted to ice cream stay in shape like you do?”

“I love to run,” she admitted.

“Where do you go for a run?”

“Mostly the area around my apartment, but when I’m feeling energetic, I like to run in Robinson Park.”

“Diana,” he chided her with a frown. “Robinson Park can be dangerous. You shouldn’t be in that area of Gotham.”

“It is run down, but it just needs a little love,” she replied. “I think it has a lot of character and potential. I’d love to see what it could become if someone paid some attention to it.”

“We’ll have to look into that,” Bruce decided.

Diana looked sharply to her left, stunned. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely,” he confirmed. “My mother set up several charities in Gotham and my father created charities through Wayne Enterprises. I’m sure restoring Robinson Park could be a focus for one of them and if not, I’ll donate the money to have it restored.”

“Bruce,” Diana said, pulling him a stop. “Are you being serious? You would do that?”

“Of course,” he replied. “I love Gotham. It’s my home. If there’s any way to make it a better place to live, then I want to be a part of it.”

“You’re not just doing it to impress me?”

“I’m always looking for ways to give back to the community,” he revealed with a growing grin. “Impressing you is just a bonus.”

Diana swiftly pressed her lips to his, kissing him passionately and showing him what his words had meant to her. “I’d love to be a part of it too,” she breathlessly said as she took a step back.

Bruce smirked at her, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I’ll do whatever you want if you keep kissing me like that,” he huskily flirted.

Diana smiled shyly at him, doing her best to keep the warmth she could feel rising inside of her from reaching her face. This man made her feel so beautiful and appreciated…as if she was the most important thing in the whole world. She felt excited about her future for the first time in a very long time. She just hoped that it lasted.

XXX

“Bruce, this is amazing,” Diana commented as she took in the enormous farmer’s market that was bustling with customers. “It reminds me of the markets in Greece.”

“I thought that you might like it,” he said, finding her excitement contagious.

“I can’t believe how large it is,” she murmured more to herself than to him. “I should have brought something to carry my purchases.”

“My car actually isn’t that far from here,” he replied. “I can take things to the car for you.”

“Would you like to buy your girlfriend some daisies?” an elderly vendor asked Bruce.

“She’ll take a dozen please,” Bruce interjected.

“Bruce,” Diana said. “Funeral home…remember? My apartment is going to look like a funeral home.”

“Your apartment will look like a florist shop,” he corrected her, paying the lady.

“You two make a very lovely couple,” the vendor said with a knowing grin.

“Thank you,” Bruce said with a pleased grin as he took the bouquet of flowers, giving them to Diana.

Diana took the bouquet, leaning in and kissing him softly. “Thank you, Bruce. I love daisies.”

“Somehow I knew that,” he teased her. “Where to next? Do you want to head down this way?”

“I’m with you,” she told him. “I’ve never been here before so you lead the way.”

“I actually haven’t been here since I was a little boy,” he thoughtfully admitted. “My parents used to bring me here every weekend, but I haven’t been back since they passed away.”

“Bruce, I’m so sorry,” she replied, her hand finding his. “We can leave if you want to. There are plenty of other places we can go instead.”

“No, I want to stay,” he reassured her. “I finally found a reason to come back here again.”

She smiled warmly at him, her heart melting. “Bruce, I—”

Diana suddenly froze as she stared over Bruce’s shoulder at someone in the crowd. Her heart began to hammer in response to the dread that erupted like a knot in her gut. She found it difficult to breathe as nightmares from the past abruptly flooded her mind, causing her panic to rise.

“Diana, what is it?” he asked, turning to look in the direction that she was staring.

A couple of tense moments passed before she finally responded. “Nothing,” she softly said, releasing the breath she was holding. “I just thought I saw someone I knew, but it wasn’t him.”

“Who did you think it was?” he asked as he scanned the crowd for possible danger.

“Just someone I once knew, but he’s in Greece,” she replied, calming herself.

“Are you sure he’s still in Greece?”  
“He was when I moved to Gotham two months ago.”

“Who is he, Diana?”

“Just someone that I used to date,” she told him. “It wasn’t him. Let’s go see what treasures we can find.”

It was more than apparent that this man from her past greatly frightened her, but he didn’t know why. It was yet another mystery that he wanted to solve, especially if she was in danger because of this man. The thought angered him, but he tamped down on it. He didn’t want to ruin their day together and it was obvious talking about it would only upset her.

Taking her hand in his, he squeezed it affectionately, hoping to reassure and comfort her through his touch though no more words were spoken about it. “Are you looking for anything in particular here?”

“Not really,” she replied, relieved that he wasn’t pushing her for details about her past. “What did your parents like to get when they came here?”

“They loved to get fresh fruit and vegetables here,” he revealed, affection filling his voice as he spoke about his parents. “My dad was always looking for a good bargain no matter what it was, and my mother would roll her eyes every time at whatever gadget or tool my father would drag home.”

Diana chuckled, finding it impossible not to want to hear more about his family. It was such a traumatic loss to lose parents in such a vicious way but also at such a young age. “I would’ve loved to have met them,” she gently replied.

“They would’ve loved you,” he told her. “My dad would’ve talked history with you and my mother wouldn’t have let you leave the manor until she’d shown you ever single antique that she’d collected.”

“They sound amazing, Bruce,” she softly said.

“They really were,” he murmured, his chest tightening with the sorrow welling deep within. He cleared his throat to keep his emotions at bay. “Hey, look at the kittens.”

“They’re adorable,” she purred as she picked one up.

“I think she likes you,” Bruce told her. “You should get a kitten to keep you company in your apartment.”

“Do you think so?” she asked as she cuddled the kitten against her chest.

“I’d prefer you had a vicious guard dog, but a kitten is probably more practical.”

Diana giggled. “A guard dog? Really?”

“I just want to make sure you’re safe all alone in that loft.”

“You don’t think I can take care of myself?” she teased, a raven eyebrow cocking in question.

“I don’t know,” he flirted. “We’ll have to see.”

“I think the kitten is very attached to you,” the man said with a grin.

“We’ll take it,” Bruce said.

“Bruce, I can pay for it,” Diana insisted.

“Nonsense,” he told her as he paid the man. “Besides, this way every time you look at it, you’ll think of me.”

“Yes, and all the flowers in my apartment,” she quipped with a grin, looking down at her kitten. “Isn’t that right, Damara?”

“Damara?” Bruce asked.

“It means ‘gentle girl’ in Greek,” she explained.

“It fits,” he told her with an approving nod, scratching the kitten’s ears.

Diana’s smile faded as she looked at Bruce. “What are we going to do with Damara while we shop?”

“I can deliver her to your home if you would like?” the man offered.

“Have the kitten delivered to Wayne Manor,” Bruce requested as he tipped him extra. “Alfred will be home to take her in for us.”

“I will take the kitten there personally as soon as the market closes,” the man promised, more than pleased with the generous tip.

“Bruce,” Diana groaned, shaking her head in disbelief at this amazing man. “What am I going to do with you?”

He gave her a mischievous smirk, his blue eyes twinkling. “I can think of several things, but right now, we have a farmer’s market to explore.”

XXX

Diana squealed as the rain began to come down harder, her laughter nearly getting drowned out by the rolls of thunder as they bolted from Bruce’s sports car. Bruce immediately grabbed her hand and made a mad dash for the upscale bar, quickly pulling her inside just as the skies fully unleashed its fury.

Diana found herself standing in the front entrance of the Green Lantern Bar with Bruce’s arms wrapped securely around her, his lips lingering dangerously close to hers. His warm breath against her face caused her heart to beat a little harder as they just stood there as if frozen in time.

Water dripped from her hair and eyelashes, trickling down her face and neck to disappear beneath the denim shirt she wore. She suddenly felt warm despite the cold, damp chill that was threatening to invade every inch of her body. She shivered more from the feel of his hard body being pressed against hers than the chill from the rain.

“Do you want me to take you home?” he softly asked, not sure which answer that he wanted to hear most. Going back to her loft suddenly sounded really good at that moment.

“Diana!” Shayera called her name as she approached. “You two are soaked! Get in here and get dried off.”

Shayera grabbed each one by the hand and took them deeper into the bar, leading them to a large booth that could have easily seated six people. “Kara, grab a couple of towels from the back,” she called over her shoulder.

“Here you go,” a large, muscular man who looked military put two cups of hot coffee on the table in front of them. “Something to warm you up.”

“Thank you,” Diana replied. “You must be Shayera’s boyfriend John. I’m Diana Prince.”

“Bruce Wayne,” he introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you,” he warmly greeted them as he extended his hand. “Glad you finally came to visit us at the Green Lantern.”

Diana looked sheepishly at Bruce sitting beside her. “Shayera has been begging me to come here for the last two months.”

“Hey, if it takes Bruce Wayne to get you in here, then I’m all the more grateful to the man,” Shayera said, handing them both a towel to dry off. “Hi, I’m Shayera Hol, Diana’s assistant and best friend. It’s a pleasure to meet the man who finally had what it took to sweep Diana off her feet. Many men have tried since she arrived in Gotham, but all of them have failed mightily.”

“Shayera!” Diana exclaimed with a groan as she bit at her bottom lip.

Bruce grinned in response, enjoying the unexpected exchange. “I’m Bruce,” he said, shaking her hand.

“What can I get you two to eat?” Shay asked. “Whatever you want, it’s on the house.”

“Shayera,” John grumbled with a disgruntled scowl.

“Oh, you can afford it,” she told him with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“But it’s freaking Bruce Wayne,” John muttered under his breath. “HE can afford it.”

“Never mind him,” Shay told the couple. “He’s just grumpy because Kyle who owns the bar with him ran off to elope with his girlfriend Alexandra, leaving him to run the bar all by himself all weekend.”

Diana began coughing, doing her best to stop it before it worsened. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to end that easily. Shayera quickly ran to get her a glass of water, returning and sliding into the booth beside her with a worried look on her face.

“Have you gotten that cough checked out yet?” Shayera demanded to know.

“What’s wrong?” Bruce asked, his arm slipping around Diana’s shoulders. “Are you all right?”

“It’s just…a cough,” Diana attempted to dismiss, pausing to take a drink of water, and praying that it would stop. “These attacks just come on sometimes.”

“You’ve had it since I met you and probably long before that,” Shay interjected. “You really need to see someone about it.”

“Diana, maybe you should see a doctor,” Bruce pressed, growing concerned.

“I have an appointment Wednesday to see someone,” she revealed. “Now, let’s not ruin the evening fussing over me. How about getting me that plate of pasta salad you keep telling me is the best in Gotham?”

Shayera stared at her, not entirely convinced her friend was okay. Bruce broke the tense moment, noticing that Diana was growing uncomfortable with all the attention being focused on her. “I’ll take an order of the pasta salad as well,” he told her. “We’ll also take a bottle of your best wine.”

“Coming right up,” Shay agreed, looking to Bruce before she left to fill their order. “Watch her.”

“Are you all right?” he softly asked her as he rubbed her back. “We don’t have to stay here. We can get our food to go and return to your apartment”

“No, thank you, Bruce,” she adamantly replied with a shake of her head, coughing once more. “I’m okay now. I don’t want to leave just yet. I like it here and I really enjoy the company…as long as you don’t mind that I look like a drowned cat.”

Bruce smiled as she squeezed his hand. “So, who are you seeing on Wednesday?”

“It’s really not important,” she tried to brush it off.

“Hey, it is important if it has to do with you.”

Diana sighed as she contemplated how much to actually reveal to him. The worry that permeated his blue eyes made her decision for her. “I’m seeing Dr. Zatara on Wednesday. She’s a lung specialist.”

“I’ve heard she’s amazing…one of the best in the world,” Bruce replied, visibly relieved. “Hopefully, she can work her magic and figure out what’s wrong.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” she brushed it off. “Probably just asthma.”

“Do you want me to go with you Wednesday?” he asked. “I’m more than happy to go with you so you don’t have to go alone.”

Diana was stunned by his offer, a fierce flutter of desire filling her. She also felt incredibly guilty for not being completely honest with him, but she didn’t know how he would react if he knew the whole story. Her past was something that she didn’t want to think let alone talk about.

“I really appreciate that, Bruce…more than you know, but I’ll be fine,” she tried to reassure him.

Bruce frowned with her answer, reluctantly accepting it. “Will you at least call me after your appointment and let me know what you find out?” he requested.

“I promise I’ll call you,” she replied as she inched closer to him, capturing his lips in a sweet, slow kiss that Bruce was more than eager to respond to.

“Okay, you two,” Shay interrupted them with a tray of food. “Dinner is served. You’re going to love this pasta salad. I created it myself.”

Shayera set the plates of food before them along with a bottle of wine, glasses, and a basket of bread. She leaned down and whispered in Diana’s ear, “he is so hot”, causing Diana to nearly choke on her pasta as Shayera quickly left them alone once more.

Bruce laughed, deciding that he liked Shayera. It seemed she was definitely on his side when it came to him dating her friend. “I think we’re going to have to come here more often.”

“Just so you can watch Shayera embarrass me?”

“Diana? What are you doing here?”

Diana looked up to see her neighbor Wally West walking towards their booth. “Wally, I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

“I come here all the time,” Wally told her as his gaze continually drifted to her date, his dislike obvious. “John’s a really good friend of mine.”

“Bruce and I thought we’d stop by to try it out,” Diana replied. “Shayera has been trying to get me to come in.”

“I’m glad you finally came in,” he told her, giving Bruce an icy look. “I’ve been inviting you to come here with me for the last two months.”

“I’m sorry, Wally,” Diana apologized, feeling guilty.

“Hi, I’m Bruce Wayne,” Bruce interjected, not liking the way that Wally was making her feel bad. It was more than apparent that he had a crush on Diana and was unhappy with the fact she was out with him. To be honest, he wasn’t exactly thrilled with Wally’s crush on Diana.

Wally looked at Bruce’s outstretched hand, reluctantly shaking it. “Wally West,” he coolly stated.

“Care to join us?” Bruce offered, hoping to ease the tension a bit.

“It’s okay,” Wally said, holding up his hands. “Don’t want to interrupt your date. Besides, John is waiting for me. I’ll catch you two later.”

“I’ll see you later, Wally,” Diana told him, turning her attention to Bruce. “I’m sorry about that. Wally is a little over eager, but he’s a really good guy.”

“I’m sure,” he dryly said.

Diana gave him a lop-sided smile, noting the tinge of jealousy in his voice. “He’s just a friend, Bruce,” she reassured him. “He was my first friend when I moved here.”

“Do you have plans for tomorrow?” he asked, changing the subject.

“If you call having a date with a washer and dryer then yes, I have plans,” she said with a grin.

“Come to the manor tomorrow,” he suggested. “We can have a picnic and go horseback riding if you like…and I hear that it’s not supposed to rain. Besides, you can pick up your kitten.”

Diana thought about it for a moment, her smile growing. “That sounds amazing,” she replied, her expression growing suspicious. “How did you know that I loved horses?”

“You had some pictures of horses in the artwork hanging in your loft,” he reminded her.

“I’ve loved horses since I was a little girl,” she confessed. “I haven’t gotten to ride one in so long.”

“It’s been a while for me too,” he admitted. “I guess we’ll have to struggle through it together.”

“I won’t laugh if you fall off your horse if you don’t laugh at me,” she teased.

“Deal,” he agreed.

“I look forward to it,” she told him, noticing the way Shayera kept staring at them.

She gave her a curious look, only receiving a grin from Shayera in response. She’d have to ask her assistant about it later, deciding instead to focus on her handsome date who was rapidly sweeping her off her feet just like Shayera had already suspected.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Diana slipped her knee-high boots on over her fitted jeans, humming softly to herself. She had been looking forward to going to Wayne Manor to ride horses with Bruce since he’d brought it up yesterday. She’d been almost too excited to sleep last night, also anxious to see her new kitten.

She hadn’t had a cat since she was little girl and excited about the prospect of having one again. It would definitely give her something to look forward to when she came home from work every day. She had to admit that the flowers Bruce had bought her had brightened her arrival home as well.

She just wasn’t accustomed to having so much attention being showered on her like this. It caused the corners of her lips to curve as she thought about the man who had truly swept into her life, taking her right off her feet. She’d never met anyone quite like him before. She was anxious to get to know him and learn everything there was to know about him.

She still wasn’t quite sure what he had seen in her, but she decided that she wasn’t going to question it for once in her life. Still, she couldn’t help wondering about the billionaire Bruce Wayne. He was almost too good to be true, causing her to worry that maybe she was falling too quickly for him.

They had only just met not that long ago and already she could feel herself falling for him. It was not like her to be like that. She was typically more cautious, leery about starting a relationship with someone that she had just met. With Bruce, though, it almost felt like they’d known each other for years.

He was so easy to talk to despite her reluctance to share certain aspects of her life with him yet. She knew that she needed to get over that. She didn’t want there to be any secrets between them and yet she was keeping several that could definitely destroy any hopes of a future with Bruce.

Diana drew a shuddering breath as she stood to her feet, making her way to the bathroom. She picked up her inhaler, hoping that a coughing attack didn’t suddenly invade their day together. It would always cause more worry and more questions that she wasn’t prepared to answer.

She needed to see Dr. Zatanna Zatara first to see what she would say about her condition before she could tell Bruce anything. Her eyes fell closed as she thought about how she was going to tell Bruce about her past. She knew that she was going to have to tell him sooner rather than later.

She decided that she was going to tell him this coming Thursday when he came over for dinner. She was going to enjoy her day with him today riding horses, see Dr. Zatara on Wednesday, and then tell him everything on Thursday after dinner. She just prayed that he would still want to be around her once she’d told him everything.

Walking towards the kitchen, she couldn’t help but smile at the bouquets of flowers that greeted her. Picking her cell phone up off the counter, she discovered that Bruce was calling her. “Hello, Bruce,” she greeted him. “I can hardly wait to—”

“Diana, something has come up,” he interrupted her, a definite edge to his voice that was so unlike him. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel today.”

“Oh…I see,” she softly said, disappointed by the news.

“I’m sorry, but something has come up that I need to take care of.”

“Is it something that I can help you with?” she offered, trying to keep her rising panic from fully forming.

“No,” he quickly stated. “It’s just something that I have to take care of. I’ll call you later. Bye.”

“Good-bye, Bruce,” she murmured, hearing nothing but a dial tone.

Diana set her phone down on the counter as her gaze fell on all the flowers that Bruce had given her, her mind swirling with thoughts and questions of every kind. The one question that stood out above all the rest had her worry spiking. 

Had she done something yesterday that had caused Bruce to not want to be around her anymore?

XXX

Bruce abruptly ended the call, furious with himself for how hurt Diana had sounded on the phone. She had been so excited about coming to the Manor to ride horses with him today and he had just broken that date with her. He felt horrible, swearing to himself that he was going to make it up to her. He just couldn’t do it right now.

He ground his teeth as he shoved his phone into his pocket, his angry gaze falling on the reason that he’d been forced to break his date with Diana. “There…it’s done,” he snapped. “What do you want, Natalie?”

Natalie looked up with tears in her eyes, a Kleenex fisted in her hand. “Is that the kind of attitude you want to use with the mother of your child?”

“I’m not entirely convinced that the child is even mine,” he stated, folding his arms across his chest as he glared at her.

“I assure you Amelia is definitely your daughter,” she replied.

“Why now, Natalie?” he demanded to know. “Why come to me now with this news? Why not tell me when you found out you were pregnant over a year ago?”

“You were furious back then, Bruce,” she reminded him. “You had just broken off our engagement. I thought you wouldn’t believe me if I told you that the baby was yours or that I was just using the pregnancy to trick you into taking me back.”

“You’re right…I would have,” he agreed, his fury simmering hotly in his veins. “And I’ll repeat my question—why now, Natalie?”

She dabbed at the tears trickling down her face with her Kleenex, trying to calm herself. “Seeing you Friday with Dana…”

“Diana,” he spat out. “You know that’s her name.”

“Diana,” she corrected herself with a huff of irritation. “Seeing you for the first time in over a year…seeing you with another woman…it just brought back so many feelings.”

“I told you when I broke off our engagement that I was done with your games and your manipulation…I wasn’t taking you back ever again,” he reminded her.

Natalie stood to her feet, slowly closing the distance between them. “I’m sorry, Bruce,” she tearfully said. “I know that I hurt you deeply, but I never stopped loving you.”

“Were you thinking about how much you loved me when you gave yourself to Harvey Dent?” he asked.

Natalie had the decency to hang her head in shame, the tears starting anew again. “I’m so sorry…I just felt so alone, and I didn’t think you wanted me anymore.”

“We were engaged!” Bruce yelled, his anger barely under control. “How did you feel alone?”

Natalie turned her back to him, hugging herself as she sobbed. “I…I knew that you had given me another chance when we had gotten engaged,” she told him. “I just never believed that you fully trusted me.”

“I probably didn’t fully trust you,” Bruce confessed. “Which is why I was going to break off the engagement before I had found out you had slept with Harvey.”

Natalie whirled on her heel, fury blazing in her emerald eyes. “I knew it! I knew you never truly accepted me back or trusted me!”

“That didn’t give you an excuse to sleep with another man when you were going to marry me!”

“Always so high and mighty, aren’t you?” she spat out. “Always doing the right thing…never making any mistakes in your life. Must be nice being so rich and never having to worry about anything…never having to pay for any mistakes.”

“You know that’s not true, Natalie,” he hissed. “I have made plenty of mistakes in my life in the years since I lost my parents—I drank too much, partied too hard, and nearly lost my father’s company in the process. That’s all over and has been for quite some time. I’m making a new life for myself…one that I’m excited about for the first time in years.”

“And you’re going to do it all with your precious little Diana by your side, aren’t you?”

“Yes, if I’m lucky enough to win her heart,” he confirmed.

Natalie huffed in disgust, a sneer twisting her lips. “You were never such a romantic,” she bit out. “What happened to you?”

“I guess I’m seeing things in a different light lately,” he told her.

“I’m so happy for you,” she snapped.

“I want to meet my daughter, Natalie,” he stated. “I also want a paternity test done to prove that I’m the father.”

“Bruce, you are the father,” she insisted.

“Are you sure Harvey isn’t?”

Natalie glared haughtily at him, her lips curling into a wicked smile. “No, we used protection when I slept with him,” she revealed, hoping to hurt him by talking about her one-night stand with Harvey Dent.

“So, we did too,” he reminded her, unfazed by her attempt to instigate another fight. He was over it. They’d fought too hard for too long when they’d been together. He wasn’t doing it now.

She closed the distance between them, her hand coming to rest against his chest. “I swear to you, Bruce,” she said. “Amelia is your daughter.”

“You never should have hidden her from me,” he angrily said, pushing her hand off his chest.

“I realize that now, but this could be our chance,” she tried to tell him. “Don’t you see? This could be our chance to try again…with our daughter. This our chance to be a real family together.”

“Don’t you dare use our daughter as way to try to get back together,” he snapped. “I want a paternity test.”

Natalie bristled as she took a step back, her hardened glare returning with a vengeance. “You’ll get your paternity test next week and when you get the results, you’re going to be begging me to come back to you.”

Natalie stormed past Bruce, leaving with a slam of the front door. Bruce’s chin fell to his chest as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He could hardly believe that this was happening especially now that he’d finally gotten his life back on track… now that he was seeing Diana.

Diana.

How was he ever going to be able to break the news to her that he had a daughter with another woman? What would she think about him if it were true?

He sank into a nearby chair, holding his head in his hands. He had a child…Amelia could be his daughter. The thought caused unexpected joy to flood him. He’d wanted to eventually start a family, to have children with the woman that he loved, but Natalie wasn’t that woman. She wasn’t the woman that he wanted to be the mother of his children especially after all that she had done to hurt him.

Especially when he was falling in love with Diana.

“Can I get you anything, Master Bruce?” Alfred gently inquired.

Bruce lifted his head to look at his faithful friend and father-figure. “I suppose you heard all of that?”

“It was rather difficult to miss,” he confessed.

“A daughter, Alfred,” he softly said, his tone almost wistful. “I could have a daughter.”

“It’s one of the greatest joys in the world, sir,” he told him.

“But I missed out on her birth…the beginning of her life,” he replied, the anger returning to his voice. “I missed out feeding her and changing her diaper, her giggles and her smiles.”

“It was very cruel of Miss Natalie to deny you the opportunity to be a part of her life,” Alfred agreed, feeling a great amount of anger himself.

“What if she’s not mine?” he asked.

“How would you feel about that?”

“I don’t know…relief maybe?” he answered him with an air of confusion. “I had always believed that I didn’t want to get married after I broke things off with Natalie, but…”

“Miss Diana has changed your mind in that respect?”

“Yes,” he responded with a nod. “Yesterday was so amazing, Alfred. Being with her feels like…home. It just feels so right…so perfect. It’s as if we were just meant to be.”

Alfred smiled knowingly. “That’s not like you, Master Bruce,” he pointed out. “You’ve avoided any talk of marrying since breaking off your engagement to Miss Natalie over a year ago, but I’d always suspected that notion would change when the right woman came along.”

Bruce slowly shook his head. “I just wish Diana would talk to me,” he confessed. “She keeps so much of herself hidden from me and I don’t know why.”

“Maybe she’s feeling as leery about commitment as you are,” Alfred suggested. “Perhaps she’s endured some tragedy that has caused her to be afraid to open up to people. Sound familiar?”

Bruce subconsciously rubbed the right side of his chest as dark memories from the past filtered into his mind, awakening a nightmare that continued to haunt him even now after all these years. “I can’t bear the thought of her going through anything like I did. I haven’t even told her everything that happened that night that I lost my parents.”

“Just be patient with her,” Alfred advised him. “I’m sure in time she’ll begin to open up to you. Do you want me to contact her? Invite her to come over now that Miss Natalie is gone?”

“No,” Bruce said, remembering how disappointed she’d sounded on the phone. Unfortunately, his anger and his shock of finding out he had a daughter had kept him from giving her any sort of reassurance. “I think I just want to be alone today. I’ll make it up to her tomorrow.”

“Just don’t let it go for too long,” he told him. “It sounds as if Miss Diana is already wary and maybe a little uncertain herself. A little reassurance could go a long way.”

Bruce understood what Alfred was getting at. He didn’t want to risk losing her, but he just couldn’t handle talking to her right now. He was not in a good place, not with the sudden uncertainties that had suddenly invaded his life and could affect his future.

“I know,” he replied. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow…make sure she knows that cancelling today had nothing to do with her.”

“Very good idea, Master Bruce,” he assured him. “I have a delicious recipe for Spanakopita if you decide that a dinner for two is in order.”

“Thanks, Alfred,” he softly said as he pulled out his cell phone, checking to see if Diana had texted him to find no messages at all.

XXX

Diana’s gaze continually drifted to her cell phone lying on her desk as she sorted through her mail. She’d been trying to focus on her work all morning, but it had been more than difficult. Her thoughts continually returned to Bruce and his phone call yesterday. Something had been wrong, but she had no idea what it was…or if it could possibly have something to do with her.

They’d had a great time together on Saturday save for the incident in the farmer’s market when she thought she’d seen Christian. She hoped that she hadn’t scared him away somehow with her unusual behavior. Of course, her coughing attack in the bar hadn’t exactly been a winning moment either.

She hadn’t heard from him since yesterday, making her wonder if he was all right. She’d picked up her phone a dozen times to text him or call him only to just as quickly change her mind. She didn’t want to push him to talk or to pry into his personal life. He’d been very understanding about her reluctance to share certain aspects of her life. She needed to be respectful of his privacy as well.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel as though she should check on him…let him know that she was thinking of him. She huffed under her breath as she scowled to herself, wondering what someone like Bruce Wayne ever saw in her in the first place.

“So, tell me everything!” Shayera exclaimed as she raced into Diana’s office, claiming one of the chairs across from her desk. “What happened after you and Bruce left the bar Saturday night?”

“Good morning to you too,” Diana said with a surprised chuckle, trying not to appear as conflicted as she was feeling about Bruce at that moment.

“Yah, yah, yah,” Shayera replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. “What happened after you two left the bar?”

“Bruce took me home,” Diana told her, reaching for another envelope from her mail pile.

“And?”

“And what?” Diana asked with a shrug, envelope in one hand and letter opener in the other.

“Nothing happened?”

“Bruce kissed me good night and then he left,” Diana revealed.

Shayera frowned as she studied her friend. “That’s it?”

“What did you expect?”

“A hot night of passion,” Shayera told her.

“Shayera!” Diana cried. “I’m not anywhere near ready for something like that. We’ve only been out a handful of times.”

“Did you two do anything together yesterday?”

Diana’s expression faltered slightly as she reached for her cup of coffee. “We were going to, but Bruce called and cancelled yesterday. Something came up.”

Shayera’s green eyes narrowed, picking up on Diana’s apprehension. “You think he ditched you?”

Diana slumped back in her office chair, her eyes momentarily falling closed. “I don’t know what to think,” she confessed with a groan. “Saturday was so amazing. We really had a great time and then out of the blue on Sunday, he called and cancelled. He didn’t sound like himself at all.”

A huge grin spread across Shayera’s face as she excitedly sat forward in her chair. “That man is not ditching you,” she stated with an air of confidence.

Diana’s forehead creased as she stared at her friend. “What makes you say that?”

“Have you not noticed the way Bruce looks at you?” she asked her, incredulous.

Diana shook her head. “What are talking about?”

“Diana, that man is head over heels for you,” Shayera told her. “To him, there is no other woman on the face of the planet that could hold a light to you.”

Diana laughed, taken aback by Shayera’s observation. “Shayera…”

“I’m serious!” she said. “He could not take his eyes off you Saturday night not to mention the way that he looks at you. I’m telling you…you’ve got him hook, line, and sinker.”

She could feel warmth settling in her face as she thought about the man who had captured her attention from the moment that she’d met him. “I guess I didn’t notice,” she softly replied.

“You didn’t notice because you were too busy looking the exact same way at him,” she told her with a smirk.

“Is it that obvious?” she asked, suddenly embarrassed.

“It’s okay, Di,” she assured her. “That’s the way love is supposed to be.”

“Love?”

“Oh, girl,” Shayera said, shaking her head with a laugh. “You do have it bad. Keep denying it if you want to. In the meantime, you just need to text him and then leave it in his hands. I guarantee you’ll be getting a response.”

“You really think so?”

“Most definitely,” she replied with a grin. “You’re not getting rid of him any time soon. I’ll catch you later. I gotta meet Arthur down at the docks.”

“Are the new statues in from Italy?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Shayera said, wiggling her eyebrows at her. “And any time I get to watch Arthur Curry lift those heavy statues is a very good day.”

“You’re terrible,” Diana told her.

“Text him!”

Diana picked up her phone as Shayera left her office, wondering what she was going to say to him. After several moments, she finally settled on, “I hope you are doing well. Please let me know if you need anything.”

She sat back in her chair with a sigh, hoping that he was all right. Things had been going to so well for them. She hoped that it continued to despite whatever it was that was going on with Bruce. She knew no matter what it was she was going to do her best to help him if he would let her.

XXX

Diana placed her dinner plate and wine glass into the kitchen sink, her heart growing heavier with very passing hour that she didn’t hear from Bruce. She had texted him this morning and never received a response, leaving her to wonder what was happening and if he was all right.

She had considered calling the manor to speak with Alfred to make sure Bruce was okay but had eventually decided it against. She reminded herself that it had just been yesterday morning that he’d called her to cancel their plans. She needed to give him more time. He might not have had a chance to get back to her yet. He did have a very large company to run.

“Diana, you’re being ridiculous,” she chided herself as she walked out of the kitchen, her doorbell ringing.

She couldn’t help wondering who it could be. No one had called up requesting entrance into her building. Answering the door, she found Wally standing in the hall, appearing somewhat sheepish. “Wally,” Diana greeted him with a smile. “What can I do for you?”

Wally rubbed the back of his neck as he appeared to search for the words that he wanted to say. “I just wanted to apologize for Saturday night,” he told her. “I was rather rude to you and to Bruce. That wasn’t cool…at all.”

“It’s okay, Wally,” she assured him. “I understand. I’m sorry I never accepted your invitation to go to the bar with you. I’m just usually more of a home body.”

“No, it’s all right,” he replied. “You have every right to go where you want with whomever you want. It’s none of my business.”

“Wally, you were my first friend here in Gotham,” she reminded him. “I’m very thankful for that. No matter what the future holds, you’ll always be my friend.”

Wally’s sheepish expression morphed into a goofy smile. “I can live with that,” he readily decided with a nod. “Well, I gotta run. I met a girl at the Green Lantern Saturday night, and I’ve got a date with her tonight.”

“What’s her name?”

“Her name is Linda Park,” he told her. “I’ll catch you later.

“Have a good time,” she said as she closed the door, relieved they’d been able to work things out.

Turning to walk away, someone rang the doorbell again. Opening the door, Diana said, “Did you forget something, Wally?”

“Hi,” Bruce said, a tentative smile on his face.

Diana stood there staring at him, stunned to find Bruce standing in the hallway. “Hi,” she softly replied. “I’m sorry. I thought you were Wally.”

“I just passed him the hallway,” he told her, standing there with a bag in hand. “He clapped me on the back and just wished me good luck.”

Diana chuckled softly. “Yes, he’s good now,” she informed him. “He has a date with someone tonight.”

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“Oh, yes…sorry,” she apologized as she stepped aside, suddenly feeling flustered with his unexpected presence.

“Diana, I came to apologize for yesterday,” he began as he carefully set his bag down.

“It’s okay…I understand,” she told him as she closed the door and turned towards him. “You don’t owe me any explanation.”

“I feel that I do,” he admitted. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to respond to your text message today. I really appreciated it. I was tied up in one meeting after another at work.”

“Bruce, really…it’s all right,” she tried to tell him.

He stared at her for a long moment before remembering one of his reasons for coming here. “I brought you something,” he said as he turned his attention to the bag he’d brought along, pulling out the kitten that he’d bought her. “I believe Damara belongs here with you. She would get lost in the manor if she stayed there. We probably wouldn’t see her for weeks.”

Diana’s face lit up with the sight of her kitten, taking it from Bruce and cradling it against her chest. “Thank you,” she replied, scratching the kitten behind her ears as she kissed the top of its head. “Did Bruce take good care of you?”

“Ah, it was actually Alfred,” he confessed, pulling out items from the bag. “I have Damara’s food and litter box.”

“I really appreciate it,” she said. “It was very thoughtful of you.”

“Diana, we need to talk,” he told her, the tension and apprehension teeming inside of him clearly evident.

“All right,” she agreed, setting the kitten down and walking over to the couch. She suddenly felt nauseated with what he was about to say to her.

Bruce sat down next to her, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees as he clasped his hands together. “I’m really sorry I cancelled on you yesterday,” he began. “It was beyond my control.”

“Bruce, it’s fine,” she tried to tell him.

“I know you were disappointed, but Natalie unexpectedly showed up at the manor to talk to me yesterday morning,” he revealed with a grimace, his frown deepening. “I’m afraid her timing is impeccable.”

“Natalie?”

Bruce reached out and took her hand in his, lacing his fingers with hers. “Yes, Natalie arrived at the manor just before I called you,” he continued. “I’m afraid she had some unexpected news she needed to talk to me about.”

Diana’s eyebrows knitted with concern. “Is everything okay?”

“She told me that we have a daughter together,” he revealed, studying her face for a reaction. “Friday night was the first that I had seen her since I had broken off our engagement over a year ago. She discovered she was pregnant just after our broken engagement, but never told me about it. I don’t even know if she’s telling the truth or not but…Amelia could be my daughter.”

“Bruce, I’m so sorry she did that to,” she said, squeezing his hand. “You didn’t deserve that. You should have been allowed to be a part of your daughter’s life from the very beginning.”

He released the breath he’d been holding, worried about what her reaction would be to the news. He was relieved that she was so accepting of the fact that he might have a daughter. “Thank you,” he replied. “It was difficult to find out about Amelia. I don’t know whether to be excited about the fact I have a daughter or not. I don’t even know for sure if she’s mine. Natalie wasn’t exactly faithful when we were together.”

“So, Amelia might not be yours?”

“There’s a very good chance she’s not,” he admitted. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to feel. I’m mostly angry because she never told me about it. I don’t want to get my hopes up about having a daughter, but I need to be prepared in case Amelia is mine.”

“Could Natalie be doing this just to hurt you?”

“Definitely,” he adamantly stated. “Natalie is very manipulative and vindictive. She can’t be trusted at all. That’s why I broke off our engagement. I demanded that we get a paternity test done.”

Diana nodded her head in agreement, feeling horrible for what Bruce was going through. “It’s only right, Bruce,” she replied. “It’s not fair to you or to Amelia. She should know who her real father is as she grows up and be allowed a relationship with him.”

Bruce released her hand, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. “I can’t thank you enough, Diana,” he softly said, burying his face in her hair. “I didn’t know how you would accept the news. I know it’s so unexpected. I’m still struggling to accept it myself, but your understanding has helped me so much.”

“Hey, don’t worry about me,” she assured him as she rubbed his back. “I promise I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you no matter the outcome of the paternity test.”

Bruce tightened his hold on her, clinging to her as if she was his only lifeline. “Thank you for standing by me,” he replied. “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you.”

Diana pressed her face into the crook of his neck as they held one another, wondering the exact same thing about him. She hoped that he would still be here when she finally told him her story, knowing that she needed to tell him soon.


	7. Chapter 7

** Chapter 7 **

Diana’s head rolled from side to side, her eyebrows furrowing as she murmured in her sleep. Sweat broke out across her brow as she fought the demons of her past as she slept. The nightmares had subsided somewhat since moving to Gotham but had recently been reignited.

“No…no!” Diana screamed as she shot forward out of a dead sleep, her chest heaving as she gasped for air.

She immediately reached with trembling fingers for the inhaler that she always kept on her bedside table, deeply inhaling the much-needed medicine. She threw the bedcovers off of her before moving to sit on the side of her bed, running her fingers back through her hair and gripping it tightly.

“Stop it, Diana,” she said to herself as she held her head in her hands. “He’s not here.”

She sat there for several long moments, trying to regain control over herself and her emotions. Drawing a deep breath, she released it slowly as she reached for her cell phone. She still had a couple of hours before she needed to get up to get ready for work, but there was no way she could sleep now.

Checking her messages, a smile spread across her face as she read a text message from Bruce. “Good luck at your appointment this afternoon. I wish I could be there with you.”

Diana climbed back into bed, pulling the covers over her. Laying propped up against her pillows, she sent him a reply. “What are you doing up at this hour?”

“Couldn’t sleep. Why are you awake, Miss Prince?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” she responded.

“Why can’t you sleep?”

“Nightmare,” she confessed.

“What about?”

“Nothing important,” she texted. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“Worried about today.”

She sighed, feeling terrible for what Bruce was going through. She knew that he’d been struggling since Natalie had appeared at his home on Sunday, unexpectedly announcing that Amelia was his daughter. Soon, though, he would have the results and he would know for sure if Amelia was truly his child or not.

“I’m so sorry, Bruce. Do you want me to go to the hospital with you today to get the results?”

“Yes, but you need to focus on you today. My appointment is around the same time as yours.”

“I can reschedule my appointment.”

“You will not, Diana. You need to see Dr. Zatara today.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m positive. We’ll both be at the hospital at the same time. How about I wait for you in Dr. Zatara’s waiting room? We can get dinner and you can tell me all about your appointment.”

“I’d like that.”

“You should try to sleep.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Want me to come over and sing you to sleep?”

Diana laughed despite herself. “Can you even sing?”

“I can come over and prove it to you.”

“No, you need to sleep too.”

“I don’t want to sleep, but I can help you sleep.”

“Singing?”

“No…other things.”

“Other things?”

Bruce texted a grinning emoji along with a kissing emoji. Diana could feel her face growing warm with the insinuation. She’d be lying if she said that she hadn’t thought about what it would be like to have Bruce Wayne in her bed, making love with him. At the same time, she knew she wasn’t ready to progress their relationship to that next step just yet. 

She wanted to take this slow and not rush into anything without being certain of where this was going. While she didn’t believe all of those outrageous rumors about Bruce, she also didn’t want to be just another notch on his bedpost. She wasn’t that kind of woman.

“You think that would put me to sleep?” she flirted.

“I would definitely wear you out in an incredibly good way. You’d sleep very well…especially with me by your side.”

“You’re awfully sure of yourself.”

“I could prove it to you.”

“I’m not ready for things to move that fast.”

“Just offering my services to help you sleep.”

“Appreciate the offer but not yet. I promise you we’ll get there someday.”

“Are you going to make me wait like you made me wait for my kiss.”

“Yes.”

“You’re killing me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll survive, princess. I hear cold showers help.”

“You know I’m not a princess.”

“You’re my princess.”

Diana grinned as she read his text. “Yours?”

“Um, yes…if you want to be?”

Memories of the last time someone told her that she belonged to him invaded her mind and caused a shiver of dread to race up her spine. Coming from Bruce was so vastly different, creating a sense of warm affection to bloom in her chest.

“I think I’d like that.”

“Really?!?!”

“Yes.”

“So, I can tell everyone you’re my girl?”

“Yes, you may.”

“You know you can tell everyone I’m your man.”

She couldn’t help but giggle at how this conversation was going. He was so sweet and yet so silly. She couldn’t help but fall in love with him. “I’ll send out engraved announcements next week.”

“LOL! So, will you at least tell me what you’re wearing?”

“A black negligee.”

“Okay, don’t say anymore. I can’t take it.”

“What are you wearing?”

“Boxers.”

“So, that answers the question of boxers or briefs.”

“Just took all the mystery out of our relationship,” he texted back.

“Oh, there is still plenty of mystery left.”

“Like?”

“Which side of the bed you sleep on?” she responded.

“Left.”

“Right.”

“See? We’re perfect for each other. I bet you’d sleep better if I were there with you.”

“You’re incorrigible,” she answered.

“In a good way. Toilet paper roll…over or under?”

“LOL! What?”

“Over or under?” he repeated.

“Over.”

“Right answer. Toothpaste…squeeze from the middle or the end?”

“Definitely the end.”

“See? Perfect for each other. How do you eat your eggs?”

“Scrambled.”

“We were made for each other.”

“You are so funny.”

“Are you smiling?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Mission accomplished.”

“You always put a smile on my face,” she texted.

“I can’t wait to see you tonight.”

“Me too.”

“Okay, try to go back to sleep and dream about me.”

“I’ll try.”

“See you tonight.”

“Bye, Bruce…and thank you.”

“Anytime.”

Diana set her phone down on her bedside table, falling back against the pillows with a contented sigh. She felt such inexplicable peace and warmth at that moment, so unlike when she’d awoken from her nightmare. She thought that she just might be able to go back to sleep now.

Bruce was actually not that different from Christian. Both were extremely handsome and charming, capable of making her laugh and put a smile on her face. There was one stark contrast between the two, however. Bruce wanted to love her. Christian wanted to own her.

As sleep began to claim her, she swore to herself that no one would ever try to own her like that ever again.

XXX

Diana did her best to calm herself as Dr. Zatara reviewed her medical records from her previous specialists in Greece. She really liked Dr. Zatara so far. She just hoped that she would have the answers that she needed and wanted most.

Dr. Zatara sat back in her chair, frowning at she studied her patient sitting across from her. “Well, you have seen some very good doctors,” she told her.

“I’ve heard that you’re the best,” Diana replied.

Dr. Zatara laughed in response as she sat forward, clasping her hands before allowing them to come to rest on top of her desk. “I don’t know about that.”

“Bruce Wayne seemed to agree with me too,” she revealed.

“I saw pictures of you two in the newspaper,” Zatanna said with a grin. “You got yourself quite a catch. He’s the most eligible bachelor in the world.”

“Really?” Diana replied. “Do you know him?”

“We’ve met a few times at some hospital charity events, but nothing past that,” she informed her. “He’s a very generous donor. Without him, we wouldn’t have half the advanced technology that we were able to obtain.”

“He’s an amazing man,” Diana agreed with an affectionate smile.

“Well, let’s get down to why you’re here,” Zatanna said, her expression growing serious. “You were diagnosed with asthma as a child and it seems that it has been pretty well controlled. Unfortunately, the smoke inhalation that you suffered caused some significant damage and scarring.”

Diana felt her heart sinking as Dr. Zatara spoke. It wasn’t anything that she hadn’t heard before. She just prayed that she would have something new to tell her…anything that could help her. “I’ve been running in hopes of strengthening my lungs.”

“How is that going for you?” she asked. “Does it make your asthma worse?”

Diana bit at her bottom lip. “Sometimes, but I try to push through it,” she confessed with a sigh. “I’ll do whatever I have to in order to get better. I’m not about to let this destroy my life.”

Dr. Zatara smiled with her patient’s overt determination. “It’s willpower like that that will help you get through this,” she replied. “I can tell you that lung tissue does regenerate, but I’m afraid it’s a terribly slow process. It’s not something that will happen overnight.”

Diana nodded her head, not learning anything that she didn’t already know. “I’ve been doing my own research since it happened,” she informed her. “I know it’s going to take considerable time.”

“And even then, it probably won’t fully heal,” she regretfully told her. “Some of the damage is going to be permanent.”

Squaring her shoulders, Diana lifted her head with the resolve that was pumping through her veins. “So, what are my options?”

“So far, you seem to be maintaining,” she told her. “You’re also young so that gives you an advantage. The disadvantages, however, are also stacked against you. You’re far more susceptible to infections. You could eventually develop emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

“What treatments would that entail?”

“You would probably need to carry oxygen with you at all times, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she informed her. “We’re not anywhere near that just yet.”

“What about a lung transplant?”

“That would be considered if medicines failed to keep your breathing under control,” she explained. “If your oxygen saturation levels were dropping, we would need to consider that. If you did have a lung transplant, you’d need to be on anti-rejection meds for the rest of your life.”

A wave of nausea swept through her as she tried to digest all of this information. Fury began to rage inside of her as her mind took her back to that night eight months ago. She hoped that Christian rotted in whatever hole that he’d crawled into after that horrifying night.

Dr. Zatara could see how upset Diana was becoming with the information. She quickly got up and made her way around her desk, settling into the seat beside her. She reached over and took Diana’s hand in her own, squeezing it reassuringly.

“Look, that is just worse case scenario,” Zatanna told her. “I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you from that future, Diana. There are new medicines coming out all the time that we can try. In fact, I’m going to prescribe another inhaler for you to try.”

Diana smiled softly, Zatanna’s reassurance alleviating a small measure of her anxiety. “I’m sorry…you’re right,” she replied. “It hasn’t been a very good year.”

“I read your file, Diana,” she replied, sorrow filling her eyes. “I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through. No one should ever have to go through the things that you’ve been forced to endure, but I think things are going to look up for you here in Gotham. You have Bruce and you have me to take care of you.”

“Thanks, Dr. Zatara,” she said.

“No Dr. Zatara,” she stated. “It’s Zatanna or Zee for short. If you need anything at all, you call me. I don’t care if it’s to vent or if you just need a shoulder to cry on. I’m here for you.”

Zatanna pulled her into a hug that Diana readily returned. “You don’t know how much that means to me,” she confessed. “You’re the only one in Gotham who knows about my past.”

Zee retreated, looking at her with concern. “You haven’t told Bruce yet?”

Diana shook her head, guilt clouding her eyes. “No, I just…I haven’t been able to bring myself to yet,” she admitted. “It’s not something that it’s easy to talk about especially to somehow that you’re dating. It can be a real relationship breaker.”

“Don’t sell yourself or Bruce short, Diana,” she encouraged her. “You just might find a sympathetic ear in Bruce Wayne. He hasn’t exactly had an easy life himself.”

“I’m planning on telling him everything tomorrow night,” she told her.

“Good,” she said with a warm smile, grabbing her business card before pulling a pen out of her lab coat. “Here…this is my cell phone number if you need to contact me.”

Diana took the business card in her hands, holding it as if it were the most valuable treasure in the world. “Thank you, Zatanna,” she replied. “You’ve been more than gracious and helpful.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Zee reassured her as she stood to her feet. “I have a feeling we’re going to become great friends.”

“I’d like that very much,” she agreed as she stood up as well.

“I’d like to see you back in a month to see how the new inhaler is working for you,” she said. “And I want an update on how things are going for you and Bruce.”

Diana shook her head as they headed towards the door of Zatanna’s office. “Hopefully, we’ll still be together then,” she told her, anxious about how Bruce would respond when she told him her story tomorrow night.

XXX

Bruce was in a daze as he wandered through Gotham General towards Dr. Zatara’s office. So many emotions were storming through him right now as he tried to sort through everything that he’d learned. One thing that he did know for sure was that he needed to see Diana.

Looking up, he spotted her exiting Dr. Zatara’s office, her expression causing his insides to twist with concern as well as longing. He walked straight to her, enveloping her in his arms as his eyes fell closed. She wrapped her arms around him, needing him as much as he needed her in that moment.

They held each other close for several moments, just taking reassurance and comfort in one another. Diana finally pulled back enough to be able to look into his eyes. “Bruce, what did you find out?”

“Amelia is not my daughter,” he revealed, releasing a shuddering breath.

“How do you feel about that?”

He swallowed hard, finding it difficult to control his emotions now that he’d actually spoken the words. “I…I don’t know,” he confessed with a frown. “Relieved I guess…sad…angry.”

“It’s understandable, Bruce,” she assured him, taking his hand and leading him to the row of chairs outside of Dr. Zatara’s office. “It’s a horrible ordeal that Natalie put you through.”

Bruce sat forward with his elbows resting on his knees as he thought about how the appointment went, his angry confrontation with Natalie afterwards. “After things fell apart with Natalie, I swore that I never wanted to get married or have children, but when she told me that Amelia was my daughter, I was…excited. I’d always wanted to get married and have a family, but after Natalie, I swore that dream was dead.

“At the same time, I was horrified that my daughter would have a mother like Natalie. She’s manipulative and she can’t be trusted. The thought of having to raise my daughter with her…share custody with her…I just did not want that.”

“Does she know who the father is?”

A sardonic laugh escaped, bitter and angry sounding. “I thought for sure it would’ve been Harvey Dent,” he revealed. “He was my friend that she cheated on me with. Evidently, the baby isn’t even Harvey’s. Natalie had him come in too for the paternity test for extra proof that it wasn’t Harvey’s. It backfired on her because Amelia isn’t either of ours. It’s someone else that she cheated on me with.”

“Oh, Bruce…I’m so sorry,” she murmured, leaning forward to press her forehead against his temple as she gently caressed the nape of his neck.

He turned his head to look at her, his blue eyes reflecting his feelings for Diana. “I’m not,” he admitted. “At the time, it was very painful, but it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. It eventually led me to you.”

Diana kissed him softly, uncaring of where they were or that they might have spectators. He was the best thing that had happened to her in a long time. She brushed her nose against his, her lips curling gently. “Let’s get out of here. I’m starving.”

“Well, isn’t this sweet.”

Bruce immediately stiffened with the unwanted presence of the person standing to his right. He pulled away from Diana, bracing himself as he turned to face Natalie. “I think you’ve done enough, Natalie,” he angrily stated as he stood to his feet, Diana following suit as she took his hand hers. “If you’ll excuse us, you’ve wasted enough of my time.”

“Ouch,” Natalie said with a pout, stepping directly in his path. “So, moving on with your little Greek treasure here?”

“Don’t, Natalie,” Bruce growled, tightening his hold on Diana’s hand. “Don’t contact me and don’t come by my home. You are no longer a part of my life.”

“You can’t just dismiss me like this,” she stated, her narrowed glare like flaming daggers as they fell on Diana. “This isn’t over.”

Bruce immediately moved to stand in front of Diana, refusing to allow her to become a target. “Stay away, Natalie, or I’ll take legal action to keep you away.”

“You wouldn’t,” Natalie hissed.

“Don’t test me,” he bit out as he pushed past her, pulling Diana along with him.

XXX

The couple slid into the same booth that they’d shared the last time they’d been at the Green Lantern this past weekend. “Welcome back,” John greeted them. “What can I get you?”

“A glass of red wine, please,” Diana requested.

“A scotch,” Bruce added.

“Coming right up,” John replied.

Bruce reached over and took her hand. “I’m sorry about the incident at the hospital,” he apologized. “Natalie can be quite nasty.”

“What did you ever see in her?” she asked as John arrived with their drinks.

“She wasn’t like this when I first met her,” he confessed, frowning. “Enough about her. You still have to tell me how your appointment went. Was Dr. Zatara able to tell you anything?”

“I have asthma,” she began, knowing that she was going to have to tell him everything. This wasn’t exactly the best place to reveal her past to him. “There is also quite a bit of lung tissue scarring.”

“What’s that from?” he asked, his brow creasing with worry.

She drew a deep breath, her focus on the glass of wine on the table before her. “It’s from smoke inhalation from a fire.”

“Diana, what happened to you?”

“Hey, it’s my favorite two people!” Shayera exclaimed as she slid into the booth across from them. The smile on her face faded as she noticed both of their expressions. “Okay, what happened? You two look as though the world is coming to an end. Didn’t your appointment go well, Di?”

“I have asthma,” she revealed. “It can be controlled with medicine for now. I’m supposed to go back in a month for a follow up.”

Shayera’s lips curved into a scowl. “You’re sure it’s nothing more?”

Bruce looked at Diana, wondering if she would divulge what she’d already told him. “There might be some other things going on, but we’re going to see how I do over the next month with a new inhaler,” she revealed.

“So, what’s the special tonight?” Bruce asked, sensing that Shayera was about to barrage Diana with more questions that she wasn’t prepared to talk about just yet.

“Pulled pork sliders and loaded cheese fries,” she told them.

“Sounds good to me,” Bruce replied.

“Make it two orders,” Diana agreed.

“Fine, but you’re telling me all about your appointment tomorrow at work,” Shayera insisted as she got up to place their orders.

“Thank you,” Diana softly said to Bruce, glancing at him. “I’m not quite ready for everyone to know my past, but if you come to my apartment for dinner tomorrow night, I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

“Only if you’re ready to, Diana,” he told her. “I don’t want to push into doing something you’re not ready for.”

Diana turned towards him, a shy smile gracing her face. “I want to,” she replied. “You deserve to know if we’re going to pursue this…and I definitely want to.”

Bruce grinned at her, pleased with her words. He leaned in and kissed her deeply, his hand slipping into her hair as he showed her how happy he was that she wanted to be with him. They soon lost themselves in the heated kiss, oblivious to everything going on around them.

“Okay, you two need to take a breather,” Shayera said as she arrived with their dinner. “Try putting this in your mouth instead of each other’s tongue.”

“Sorry,” Diana apologized as she tried to bite back a grin.

“Don’t apologize,” Shayera teased with a smirk. “I wouldn’t be able to stop kissing him either if I were you.”

“I heard that, Shay!” John bellowed from behind the bar.

“Love you, baby!” she yelled back over her shoulder.

“Don’t you forget it either,” he growled.

“Ignore him,” Shayera told them. “He’s a bear because Kyle and his new wife haven’t returned from their honeymoon yet.”

“Thanks, Shay,” Diana replied. “This looks great.”

“Tell me how the rest of your appointment went,” Bruce said to her. “Did Dr. Zatara have anything to say about the scarring? Is there anything that can be done to reverse it?”

“Lung tissue can regenerate, but it’s a very slow process,” she explained as she dug into the French fries. “She’s going to continue to treat with medicine, but there is a higher risk of getting lung infections and there’s a potential for developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

“What treatment would that entail?” he asked, not even touching his food yet. His focus was completely on her and nothing else.

“If it progresses to that stage, I might have to wear oxygen all the time,” she revealed, worry filling her eyes. “If it becomes serious enough, it might lead to a lung transplant, but that’s very far down the road and might not become required.”

“Diana,” Bruce softly murmured her name, his hand capturing hers. “Please, don’t worry about anything. Whatever it is you need; we’ll make sure you have it.”

Diana stared at him, taken aback by his response. “Bruce, you don’t have to do that,” she told him as she slowly shook her head. “I can take of myself. I’ve been doing it for years.”

“I know you have and I’m not saying that you’re not capable,” he replied. “I’m just saying that you don’t have to do it alone anymore.”

“Bruce…” she whispered his name as tears glistened in her eyes.

“Diana, whoever the man was that hurt you…I’m not him,” he reminded her. “And I’m not going anywhere…no matter what happens.”

Diana threw her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. It had been an emotional day filled with some good news, some not so good news, and an unexpected confrontation with a very vindictive woman. The fact that Bruce was willing to stay by her side despite the difficult course and the uncertainties that lay before her was enough for the dam to break loose.

“It’s okay, Diana,” he softly said as he held her.

She finally pulled away, his lips finding his once more. “Thank you, Bruce,” she murmured.

“Are you all right?” he asked as he stroked her cheek.

“It’s just been a long day,” she confessed, brushing a stray tear away.

“You look tired,” he commented. “Do you want to leave?”

“No, I want to stay here with you.”

“Fine, but then you’re going home and going to bed,” he agreed. “I can come along and sing you to sleep.”

“Oh, please no,” she said with a giggle, memories of their conversation this morning popping into her mind.

“Hey, you don’t know,” he said with mock hurt. “I might be the best singer you’ve ever heard.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait to find out someday,” she teased with a grin, biting off the end of her French fry.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Diana stirred the chickpea soup on the stove, her eyes falling closed as the delicious aroma filled her nostrils. Her stomach growled in response to the smells that permeated her apartment. She hoped that Bruce came hungry and ready to eat. 

She had taken off work early, allowing her to cook all afternoon and prepare for Bruce’s arrival. It was something that she greatly enjoyed but got to do so rarely. Being able to cook for Bruce only made it that much more enjoyable.

Turning the heat down on the soup, she opened the oven to check on the lamb and potatoes before making her way to the small dining table to light the candles. She smiled to herself, pleased with how things looked so far. Everything was in place and ready for Bruce’s arrival. She just needed to check her appearance. 

She entered her bathroom, wanting to make sure that she looked perfect for Bruce. She couldn’t stop the nervous flutter that had erupted in her stomach soon after leaving work this afternoon. It had only managed to grow stronger as the day had progressed.

She quickly ran a brush through her hair before pulling it back into a ponytail, a couple of stray curls falling free despite her best efforts. She smoothed out her green sundress, hoping that she looked all right. “Diana, you’re being ridiculous,” she murmured to herself with a frown.

She still couldn’t help being worried that Bruce would be horrified by what she was going to tell him tonight. If she hadn’t lived it herself, she would’ve been revolted by the things that she’d had to endure. Unfortunately, she’d been forced to learn to accept it as her life, but it was still a struggle at times. 

She had accepted long ago that there was nothing she could do to change the past or her family. All she could do now was make a better future for herself. With any luck, Bruce Wayne and Gotham would be a big part of that future. To this point, things were looking bright. She just hoped it stayed that way by the time the evening ended.

She glanced at her watch, wondering what could be keeping Bruce. He should have been here by now. As she went out to the kitchen, she discovered her phone ringing. “Hello,” she answered.

“Miss Diana, this is Alfred Pennyworth,” he formally greeted her. 

The fact that Alfred was calling her and not Bruce immediately put her on edge, but it was the sound of his voice that caused her panic to rise. “What is it, Alfred?” she urgently asked. “Where’s Bruce?”

“I’m afraid there’s been an accident,” he evenly told her. “He’s in emergency surgery at Gotham General right now.”

“What happened?”

“He was shot this afternoon as he was leaving Wayne Enterprises.”

“I…I can’t believe this,” she murmured, her heart hammering wildly beneath her breastbone with the unexpected news. “Who could do this to him?”

“It was an attempted mugging.”

“I’m heading to the hospital,” Diana stated, her voice broking no room for argument.

“Would you like for me to come get you?” he offered.

“No…no, I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “Thank you, but I can drive.”

“He’ll be in surgery for at last another hour or so,” he informed her, his weariness coming through in his voice.

“I’m on my way.”

“I know you being here will brighten his spirits when he wakes up.”

“Thank you for calling me, Alfred,” she softly said, tears blurring her vision as she shut off the oven and stove top before searching for her purse and car keys. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“I’ll be here waiting for you.”

Ending the call, Diana took a moment to try to gather herself, drawing a deep breath in an effort to calm herself. Wiping away a tear, she grabbed her purse and keys before heading out the door of her apartment, praying that Bruce would be all right.

XXX

Bruce opened his eyes to find a raven-haired beauty sitting in a chair beside his bed, his hand securely wrapped in hers. “I must have died and gone to heaven,” he groggily said as his eyes fell closed again. “I have my own personal angel at my side.”

Diana looked up sharply, relieved to find him awake. “Bruce,” Diana softly gasped his name as tears immediately filled her eyes.

“Hey, don’t cry,” he murmured with a frown as he gazed at her through heavily hooded eyes.

Diana smiled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “If you didn’t want to eat my cooking, you could’ve just said so,” she kidded him. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

Bruce chuckled in response; his piercing blue eyes full of adoration as he stared at her. “You can never be too careful these days about Greek food,” he teased back.

She wiped away a stray tear with a laugh, annoyed that the tears seemed determined to come despite her best efforts. “See if I make you roasted lamb and potatoes again.”

Bruce groaned as he tried to shift his position in his bed. “Don’t say that,” he said with a griamce. “I love roasted lamb.”

“Well, I guess you’re just going to have to get better so we can try again.”

He smiled gently at her, losing himself in her blue eyes. “You’re so beautiful,” he said, squeezing her hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. Waking up to find you at my bedside already makes me feel better.”

She smiled softly at him, touched by his words. “Alfred is here too,” she revealed. “He went to get us something to eat.”

“I’ll take the lamb and potatoes you were making me.”

“You get soup and Jell-O until the doctor says otherwise,” she sternly stated.

“I think I’ll pass,” he decided.

“I should’ve brought you the chickpea soup I also made for dinner.”

“Don’t tell me that,” he groused. “You’re making me hungry.”

Diana’s expression grew serious as her thumb caressed the back of his hand. “What happened to you?”

Bruce sighed as he thought back to this afternoon. “I left work a little early so I could run home and change before heading to your apartment,” he began. “As I left Wayne Enterprises, I was approached by this man on the street. He pulled a gun on me and shot me. I felt this burning in my chest and then I woke up here with you.”

“Do you have any idea who it was that shot you?”

He shook his head as he forced himself to think back on it. “No…I didn’t know him at all,” he confessed. “He looked like a homeless man.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” she said more to herself than to him. “Why would anyone want to shoot you?”

“I don’t know,” he replied with a frown. “It was almost as if he knew who I was and that he was waiting for me.”

“Well, you are rather famous, Bruce,” she pointed out. “It wouldn’t be beyond reason that someone might try to rob you.”

“The weird thing is that he never asked for my wallet or any money,” he told her. “He just pulled out a gun and fired.”

Diana felt an icy shiver race up her spine, deciding that she didn’t want to talk about it anymore. She’d come too close to losing him today. “I hope the police catch whoever did this to you.”

“I’m sure they’ll be by here soon to get my statement.”

“Good to see that someone has finally decided to wake up,” Alfred said as he entered the hospital room with a tray of food and drinks in hand.

“Please tell me there’s a lamb roast in one of those containers,” Bruce told him.

“Sorry, none for you,” Alfred informed him, “but I’ll be happy to alert the nurses that you would like some soup.”

Bruce frowned as he pressed the back of his head into his pillow with a groan. “No thank you.”

“He’s a grumpy patient, isn’t he?” Diana asked Alfred.

“You have no idea, Miss,” he relayed with a grimace. “He was always a petulant patient whenever he got sick or hurt himself. You should have seen him when he broke his arm when he was ten years old.”

“Can I have a little sympathy here?” Bruce requested. “I was shot, remember?”

“I’d rather not think about it,” Diana said as she pursed her lips.

“Bruce, are you okay?”

All three looked up to find Natalie standing in the doorway of his hospital room holding a bouquet of flowers. “Alfred,” Bruce said with a sneer as he tightened his hold on Diana’s hand.

Alfred immediately made his way towards the unwanted visitor, a fierce glower on his face. “Master Bruce does not want any visitors,” Alfred icily stated. “I’m afraid you’ll have to leave.”

“ _She_ is here,” Natalie pointed out with a scowl, a frosty glare focused on Diana.

“Master Bruce has made it very clear that your presence is not wanted,” Alfred reminded her.

“I heard what happened to you, Bruce,” Natalie continued, looking past Alfred to her former lover with sorrow in her eyes. “I wanted to make sure that you were all right and if there was anything I could do for you.”

“Leave, Natalie,” Bruce coldly stated. “Leave and don’t come back. That’s all I want from you.”

“Bruce, I know we’ve had our difference, but I just want a chance to—”

“Bruce was shot this afternoon,” Diana interrupted her as she stalked straight towards Natalie with anger blazing in her eyes. “If you genuinely cared for him, you’d leave him to recover in peace.”

“You can’t tell me what to do,” Natalie hissed at her with a sneer.

“I just did,” Diana shot back, pushing her back and slamming the door in her face before locking it.

“Bravo, Miss Diana,” Alfred said with a grin.

“You were amazing,” Bruce told her as she walked back towards his bedside, looking rather sheepish.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t take her interference any longer,” Diana replied.

“I’m going to request security be stationed outside of your hospital room,” Alfred informed them.

“I want a restraining order issued against her,” Bruce told him.

“I’ll get started on it first thing in the morning.”

“Do you really think that she’ll abide by it?” Diana asked.

“Probably not, but at least it’s a start,” Bruce replied.

“She just doesn’t seem to know how to take no for an answer,” Diana pointed out.

“I’m afraid Natalie is a tad bit obsessive,” Bruce confessed.

“You sure know how to pick them, don’t you?” Diana teased him.

Bruce took her hand, bringing it to his lips to place a gentle kiss. “I do now,” he murmured.

XXX

Diana rang the doorbell of Wayne Manor, completely awestruck by the massive, historic home. It was fascinating and overwhelming at the same time. She was anxious to get a personal tour from Bruce and helping him in purchase some antiques to update it.

The door opened to reveal a smiling Alfred Pennyworth. “Ah, Miss Diana,” he warmly greeted her. “I’m so glad you found us.”

“It wasn’t difficult,” she confessed. “You gave excellent directions.”

“Please, come in,” Alfred offered, stepping aside to allow her entrance. “Master Bruce will be overjoyed to see you.”

“How is he doing?” she asked as she stepped over the threshold of the manor with basket in hand.

“He’s doing very well,” he informed her. “Being home has been good medicine, but I have a feeling seeing you will be the best of all.”

“You’re too kind, Alfred,” she replied with a grin.

“Master Bruce is out on the veranda getting some fresh air,” he revealed. “After being cooped up in the hospital for three days, he was anxious to get outside.”

“As long as he isn’t overdoing it,” she said with a note of worry.

“No, he’s behaving himself for once,” he reassured her. “Commissioner Jim Gordon is speaking with him now about the case.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she said as she followed him towards the French doors that led outside.

“I believe they’re almost finished,” Alfred told her, stepping aside to let her pass. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I think I have all I need right in here,” she replied with a conspiratorial grin as she patted the top of her basket as she walked out onto the veranda.

“I assure you we won’t stop until we find out who did this, Bruce,” Commissioner Gordon told him.

“I appreciate that, Jim,” Bruce replied, looking up to find Diana standing to the side. “Diana, please come join us.”

Diana tentatively approached the men, pleased to see Bruce looking well. He was dressed in a Gotham Knight’s t-shirt and workout pants. She was relieved to see that he was doing so well after being discharged from the hospital last evening.

“Jim, this is Diana,” Bruce introduced from his lounge chair as Diana took a chair beside him. “Diana, this is my friend Jim. He’s the Commissioner of Gotham City.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Diana said, reaching over to shake his outstretched hand.

“I’ve heard quite a bit about you from Bruce,” Jim told her with a smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“I hope it was all good,” Diana replied as she glanced at Bruce.

Commissioner Gordon chuckled as he stood to his feet. “I assure you it was all very good,” he revealed. “I’ll keep you posted on our progress, Bruce.”

“Thanks again, Jim,” he said, shaking his friend’s hand.

“Try to lay low for a while,” Jim suggested. “I’m posting one of my best men outside of the manor just in case he tries again.”

“I’ve also had my security company come out to upgrade my system,” he informed him.

“Do you have any idea who could’ve wanted to do this to you?” Jim asked him.

“Not that I can think of,” Bruce said with a sigh. “I mean when you own a business like Wayne Enterprises you always make some enemies, but there hasn’t been any outright threats made against me.”

Diana laid a hand on Bruce’s forearm, something suddenly occurring to her. “Bruce, you don’t think Natalie could’ve had anything to do with this, do you?” she asked, worry clouding her blue eyes.

“Last year, I would’ve said no way, but now…I just don’t know,” Bruce thoughtfully replied. “I can’t imagine her sinking to this level.”

“Your ex Natalie?” Jim questioned him.

Bruce nodded his head. “Unfortunately,” he admitted. “Things have gotten pretty ugly lately since she recently returned to Gotham. She tried to tell me I was the father of her daughter, but the paternity test proved otherwise. She wasn’t happy about it.”

“Bruce keeps telling her to stay away from him, but she won’t listen,” Diana added.

“I finally had to take out a restraining order on her,” he informed him.

“She is definitely someone of interest then,” Jim agreed. “Leave it to us. If she’s behind this, we’ll find out.”

“I just can’t imagine Natalie doing something like this,” he softly replied.

“People change, Bruce,” Jim told him. “Or maybe she wasn’t who you thought she was at all.”

“Thanks, Jim,” he thoughtfully murmured.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Jim said. “Nice to meet you, Diana. Help Alfred take care of him.”

“I plan on it,” Diana assured him.

Bruce leaned in close, capturing her lips in a pleasant kiss. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Bruce, I’m worried about you,” she told him, still concerned about the threat to him. “What if Natalie is really out to get you? A restraining order isn’t going to stop her if she’s that determined to hurt you.”

He took her hand, lacing their fingers as he gently pulled her to sit on his lounge chair with him. “I’m not going to worry about her,” he told her. “The only thing I’m concerned about is you. You’re my main focus.”

“Bruce,” she chided him with an admonishing tilt of her head. “You need to be careful. I don’t want to lose you.”

“Hey, you won’t lose me,” he reassured her. “I don’t plan on going anywhere. I’ve got too much to look forward to in my life now.”

She smiled softly as he dipped his head, kissing her once more. “Please tell me you’ll be extra careful?” she requested.

“Anything for you,” he promised her.

“Good,” she said with a nod. “How are you feeling?”

“Better now that you’re here.”

“You don’t have to kiss up, Bruce,” she teased with a grin. “You’ve already got the girl.”

“Just making sure,” he told her.

“Let me reassure you then,” she murmured as she slipped her arms around his neck, her lips finding his in a heated kiss that left his head spinning.

He wrapped his arms around her, tilting his head as he deepened the kiss and earning a throaty moan for his skillful effort. He finally broke the kiss with a groan, knowing that he needed to slow things down before things got too heated. He found it was far too easy to lose himself in her, hurtling towards the point that he didn’t want to stop, but he knew she wasn’t ready for that just yet.

She kissed him softly on the lips, knowing she needed to put a little distance between them, but not really wanting to. “Are you reassured now?”

“Definitely,” he breathlessly replied, his lips finding the spot behind her ear. “What’s in the basket?”

“Basket?” she whispered as her eyes fell closed, pleasurable warmth beginning to course through her.

“You brought a basket with you,” he reminded her, his warm breath brushing against her ear and causing her to tremble in response.

“Oh…right,” she muttered in embarrassment as she reached for the picnic basket on the ground at her feet.

Good heavens…this man made her mind go blank, making her forget everything. She could only imagine what it would be like making love with him. It would no doubt be mind-blowing. The thought caused a shiver of desire to race through her, settling in her core.

Bruce smiled to himself, gratified by the noticeable affect he was having on her. It was nice to know that he could unsettle her as much as she did him. “Something smells good,” he told her as she opened it up and took a plate out wrapped in tin foil. “Is that I what I think it is?”

Diana grinned proudly as she handed him a plate. “It’s the same meal that I had made for you the night you decided not to come,” she lightly teased.

Bruce took the plate with a chuckle. “You know it wasn’t my choice,” he insisted. “If I would’ve had my way, I’d much rather have been with you.”

“I know,” she acknowledged as she took out a couple of wine glasses and a bottle of wine, pouring them each a glass. She reached back in the basket and took out a plate for herself. “I hope you like it.”

“Well, if it’s as good as it smells, I’m sure I’ll love it,” he assured her as she handed him silverware wrapped in a napkin.

Diana watched in anxious anticipation as Bruce unwrapped his silverware before taking a bite of the lamb. Her lips slowly curled into a pleased smile as she watched an expression of delight form on Bruce’s handsome face, a low moan filling his throat.

“Diana, this is amazing,” he praised her, pausing to take another bite. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”

“My Yiayia,” Diana replied, her tone filled with heartfelt adoration. “I was very close with her.”

“That’s your grandmother, right?”

“Yes, sorry,” she apologized. “I tend to slip into Greek at times. I forget that not everyone knows my native language.”

“No, please,” he quickly replied. “I love it when you speak Greek. Your accent only adds to your charm and beauty.”

Diana tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she dipped her head. “I think you’re the charmer.”

“I think I’m going to have to learn to speak Greek,” he decided.

“I’d be happy to teach you,” she offered.

“How do you say I think I’m falling for you?” he asked, his intent blue-eyed gaze staring deeply into her eyes.

Diana was speechless as she lost herself in his handsome face. Her heart was beginning to pound, her breath hitching as his words swirled around in her head. “Bruce…” she whispered his name as he drew closer.

His lips pressed against hers in a scorching kiss that stole her breath. She returned his passion with her own intense feelings that were growing in her heart. She retreated with a soft gasp, not wanting this to go too far. She wasn’t quite ready for that and Bruce was still recovering from being shot.

His hand came to rest on the curve of her face, slipping up into her hair. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, Diana,” he softly told her. “I won’t hurt you.”

“I know,” she murmured. “I just need a little time.”

“Please, talk to me, Diana,” he requested. “What did he do to you?”

Diana took his hand from her face to hold, needing his strength if she was going to tell her story. She bit at her bottom lip at she mustered the courage she felt she was lacking at that moment. Telling someone what happened to her made her feel so vulnerable. She hated that feeling.

Bruce took their plates, setting them aside so he could give her his full attention. “Diana, it’s okay,” he assured her. “I’m not going to leave you no matter you tell me.”

“It all started with my father,” she began, glancing down at his hands holding hers. “He was a stone mason in Greece and incredibly good at it. He was a master at his craft. I worshipped the ground he walked on. I was like his little shadow, following him everywhere he went. 

“It was through him that I later after I’d graduated from university that I met Christian. He was handsome and charming and swept me off my feet. I thought at the time that he was the one, but then I found out he was keeping secrets from me…as was my father. My parents and sister Donna were murdered because of my father’s job and the secrets he was keeping.”

“What secrets?” Bruce asked, confused.

“I found out after their deaths that my father was a hitman for one of the biggest mafia bosses in Greece,” she continued, pausing to draw a shuddering breath. “During the day he was a master stone mason, but at night he was sneaking out of the house to murder people. My parents and sister were killed because my father refused a hit the mafia boss wanted him to complete on a priest.”

“Diana, I’m so sorry,” he softly said, unsure of what he could possibly say to comfort her or make any of this better for her.

“I also found that Christian was the one who had been ordered to kill my family,” she told him. “It turns out that Christian was my father’s apprentice. He was being groomed to take my father’s place whenever he retired.”

She glanced up at Bruce, watching his reaction to the news. She knew it had to have been shocking. It still caused a sick knot to churn in the pit of her stomach every time she thought about it. How could her father have chosen such a horrifying profession?

“I confronted Christian about it…breaking things off with him,” she explained. “He became enraged, refused to let me go. He was obsessed with me. He began stalking me…following me. I couldn’t go anywhere that he wouldn’t be there.

“Eight months ago, Christian showed up in the middle of the night at my parent’s house where I was living,” she revealed. “He beat me…told me that I wasn’t allowed to leave him…that I belonged to him and that I always would. He stabbed me with his knife and set the house on fire, leaving me for dead.”

“Smoke inhalation,” Bruce murmured as the pieces began to fall into place.

“Yes,” she confirmed with a nod. “I breathed in a lot of smoke before help arrived. They were able to get me out before the fire reached me, but the smoke had already done quite a bit of damage.”

“What happened to Christian?” he asked. “Were they able to catch him?”

“No,” she replied. “He disappeared…went underground, no doubt protected by the mafia.”

“Diana, I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” he told her. “You didn’t deserve what he did to you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Bruce,” she said. “It’s not that I didn’t trust you, but I didn’t know how you would react knowing that I’m the daughter of a mafia hitman…or that I was involved with his apprentice. It’s not really something that you tell a potential suitor.”

Bruce released her hands to cradle her face, the anguish that filled his face stunning her. “You don’t have to worry,” he replied. “I’m not Christian. I would never hurt you or treat you like that. I care about you, Diana. I want to take care of you and make you happy.”

Diana wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him as tears began to form in her eyes. “Thank you, Bruce,” she murmured.

Bruce held her close—distraught over what she’d been forced to endure, amazed by her profound strength and fierce spirit, and beyond relieved that she’d finally felt that she could confide in him. He swore to himself that he would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

He almost wished that Christian would resurface so he could deal with him himself.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Diana couldn’t contain her smile as she read the text message from Bruce. “Can’t wait till tonight.”

She was more than relieved that he was healing so well after being shot. Even though it had been over a week and a half ago, it felt like it had just happened. A chill ran through her, causing her to shiver. She hoped that Commissioner Gordon was able to find out who was behind it before they made an attempt on Bruce’s life again.

It was some comfort knowing that Officer Dick Grayson was sticking to Bruce like his own shadow. Bruce was growing a little annoyed having someone following him every time he left the manor, but Diana would have been happier with a whole entourage following him everywhere he went.

She liked Dick Grayson and was certain that he was more than enough to protect Bruce until this whole thing was resolved. It was just past experience with Christian that had her paranoia spiking every time she thought about it what had happened to him.

A part of her was worried that Christian could be behind it, but she just as quickly dismissed it. He was more than likely still in Greece working for the mafia. The further away from him she was the better. She knew, though, that if it had been Christian who had shot Bruce he would not have missed. They would’ve been burying him instead of helping him with his recovery.

Tears instantly stung her eyes with the thought. She would have to ask Bruce if he’d heard any more updates from Jim Gordon. The longer this whole thing dragged on the more worried she grew that they would never find the person behind it, leaving Bruce vulnerable and a walking target everywhere he went.

Drawing a calming breath, Diana texted him back. “I can’t wait either. Are you sure you’re up to it?”

“Definitely!”

She chuckled softly with his emphatic response. “Going stir crazy?”

“You could say that. Just wish we didn’t have to take Dick with us.”

“I’d rather have him with us than to go without him.”

“I want him there to protect you in case the shooter tries again.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“See you soon.”

“Bye.”

Diana set her phone down, needing to finish entering her notes on the ancient Greek helmet that had recently been uncovered that she had been restoring. More artifacts had been found at the dig site, the helmet the first to arrive at the Gotham Museum. She could hardly wait for the rest to come so she could get her hands on it.

“Hey, Diana.”

She looked up with a smile to find Arthur Curry filling the doorway of her office. “Hi, Arthur,” she greeted him. “Were you able to get that marble statue positioned for the unveiling?”

“You are all set to go,” he assured her with a grin. “I even put the black drape over it for you.”

“You are a gem,” she replied.

“That’s what Mera tells me,” he told her.

“Will you two be coming to the unveiling tonight?”

Arthur frowned as he folded his large, muscular arms against his equally muscular chest. “Nah, I’m not much into dressing up in a tux and rubbing elbows with the rich and famous,” he responded. “I’m more of a whiskey and Velveeta kinda of guy then champagne and caviar.”

Diana couldn’t help but laugh with his unabashed assessment of himself. He was always very direct, never leaving anyone to wonder where he stood or what he was thinking. “To be honest, I’d rather stay home and curl up with a book and a platter of loaded nachos.”

“You?” he asked in surprise. “I thought you’d be in your element with those big shots.”

“Do you think I’m snooty?” she questioned him with a smirk.

“No, not at all,” he quickly explained. “You’re just so graceful and gorgeous. You don’t seem like a stay at home and eat nachos kinda of girl.”

“Nachos are my guilty pleasure,” she confessed.

“It’ll be our little secret,” he said with a wink. “We’ll have to go out on a double date for nachos. Wait—would Bruce Wayne really go for something like that?”

“Actually, Bruce isn’t pretentious in the least,” she revealed. “He’s really down to earth and unassuming. I think you two would actually get along quite well. You and Mera should meet us at the Green Lantern sometime.”

“Sounds like a good time,” Arthur agreed. “Well, I’m going to finish getting things ready for tonight. Have a good time.”

“Thanks,” she replied. “You’re still welcome to come if you change your mind.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Yah, like that’ll happen.”

Diana shook her head with a laugh. She had grown quite fond of Arthur since first meeting him, viewing him like the big brother that she’d always wanted but never had. She hoped that he and Mera joined them at the Green Lantern some time. She was anxious to meet Mera and for Bruce to meet Arthur.

She quickly typed in the last of her notes, ready to get out of here so she could get home and change for the museum gala tonight. It was unusual for the museum to have another gala so soon after having had one, but a particularly important discovery in Rome had necessitated it.

The unveiling of the findings was especially important to her, one that would bring sizeable donations for the museum. She was excited about the evening and what lay in store for the place that she now called home. She was especially eager to show Bruce her work.

Turning her computer off, she grabbed her phone and purse, ready to get home and prepare for the evening.

XXX

Bruce kept glancing at his date out of the corner of his eye, mesmerized by how beautiful she looked tonight in a black one-shoulder ballgown. Her raven hair was pulled up into an intricate twist with braids, revealing her long, slender neck. He found himself aching to taste her, to trail kisses along her throat.

“You keep looking at me like that and I’m going to begin to wonder if something is wrong,” she teasingly said, turning to look at him.

“No, everything is absolutely perfect,” he reassured her.

“I don’t have something in my teeth that you’re not telling me about?” she questioned him with a grin.

“Let me check for myself,” he huskily replied, capturing her lips in a kiss that took both their breath away. “Nope…perfect.”

“Are you sure you’re up for this tonight?” she asked him again. “I don’t want you pushing yourself for me. I can go to this alone.”

“Not a chance,” he adamantly stated. “I’m not going to miss this. Your work is going to be unveiled tonight and I want to be there for the big moment and for you.”

“I’m glad,” she confessed. “I really wanted you here with me tonight.”

“Good,” he murmured. “Then, we’re both happy.”

“We don’t have to stay long,” she told him. “We can just make the usual rounds and greet a few important people. Then, we need to take you back home so you can rest.”

“I’m tired of resting,” he replied. “I’ve been resting since I was discharged from the hospital. I’m anxious to spend time with you out on the town. I want to show off my girlfriend.”

“We’ll see,” she said, her lips curling at the corners.

“You know I’d rest better if you were with me,” he flirted.

“I have a feeling you wouldn’t rest at all,” she shot back. “You would not behave yourself.”

Bruce smirked as her, his arm slipping around her shoulders. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No, just not the right time yet,” she replied, patting his chest as she kissed his cheek. “I promise you we’ll get there.” 

Bruce groaned as she kissed his jaw. “You better stop that if you don’t want to take things further yet.”

“I have to stop,” she told him. “We’re here.”

“That’s so not fair,” he groused as the limo pulled to a stop.

Alfred and Officer Dick Grayson got out of the front of the limo, both circling around to the passenger door. Dick’s intense gaze was quickly and thoroughly scoping out the area as well as the press that had gathered for the high-profile event at the Gotham Museum.

Alfred opened the back door of the limo, Bruce exiting first before turning and offering a hand to his date, the rapidly growing famous Greek curator. Camera flashes went into a frenzy as the couple walked hand-in-hand to the steps that would lead them inside.

Reporters barraged them with questions, all of them trying to get closer to the hottest couple in Gotham and the United States. “Bruce, have you proposed yet?”

“Are you carrying Bruce’s baby?”

“Are you living together?”

“How soon before we hear wedding bells?”

“Miss Prince, does Bruce know about your troubled past in Greece and your father’s occupation?”

Bruce stopped short with the unexpected question; his anger immediately lit like the fuse of a bomb about to go off. He felt Diana stiffen, an almost inaudible gasp escaping her lips. She tightened her grip on his hand as she ducked her head in shame and embarrassment with the reminders of the demons from her past.

Bruce pulled Diana close to him, turning to face the group of reporters. His fiery gaze landed on the man who had asked the question, his fury nearly boring a hole straight through the reporter’s head. He almost shrank back from the ferocious glower on the billionaire’s face.

“I am in love with Diana,” he stated with a deadly calm that sent a chill through the air. “What happened in Greece is in the past. Gotham and I are her future.”

With that, Bruce turned on his heel, leading her inside the museum. Once inside, he pulled her aside to find tears welling in her blue eyes. “I’m so sorry they hurt you.”

Diana pressed her lips to his in a heated rush of emotion, a passion that he quickly and fervently returned despite the fact that they had an audience consisting of one Dick Grayson. “Thank you,” she murmured as she retreated. “I love you too.”

A blinding smile spread across Bruce’s face, his blue eyes alight with the love he felt for this remarkable woman. He kissed her tenderly before finally offering her his arm. “Shall we, Miss Prince?”

“We shall,” she agreed with a disarming smile of her own.

“Come along, Dicky,” Bruce called over his shoulder, knowing how much the officer hated that nickname.

“Don’t call me that,” Dick groused from behind, shoving his hands into the pockets of his tux pants with a petulant glare. “You know I hate it.”

“Try to enjoy yourself tonight, Dick,” Diana said. “It should be an exciting evening. You should mingle a little. You don’t have to stay attached to Bruce’s hip. Have a little fun.”

“Definitely!” Bruce agreed. “Find yourself a nice woman.”

“Funny,” Dick drawled with a roll of his eyes.

“Are you free tomorrow Sunday night?” Bruce asked her as they made their way into the room where the reveal was being held.

“Hmmm…I might be busy,” she told him with an impish grin. “I should wash my hair and do my laundry. I also need to feed the cat and paint my nails.”

“Can I get a little time in there?”

“I suppose I could find some time for you,” she teased. “What did you have in mind?”

“Clark and his girlfriend Lois are going to be in Gotham Sunday,” he replied. “I really want them to meet you.”

“I’d love to meet them too,” she agreed.

“Great,” Bruce said with a small wave of relief. “They’re coming to the manor Sunday evening for dinner. They’re getting married in a couple of weeks and I’m the best man. They want to discuss wedding details. I thought it would be a great chance for you to get to know them.”

“Diana! Bruce!”

Bruce and Diana stopped at the sound of her voice, a smile spreading across both their faces. “Hi, Shayera,” they said in unison as they turned to greet their friend.

“Don’t you two look like you just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine,” she told them.

“You look great too, Shay,” Diana said. “I love your gown.”

Shayera did a little twirl to show off her new dress. “Thanks,” she replied. “I could hardly keep John’s hands off me tonight.”

Dick tugged on Bruce’s elbow; his gaze focused on a stunning young woman. “Hey, Bruce,” he said. “Who is that woman over there in the teal dress?”

Bruce turned to look in the direction that Dick indicated, the corner of his lips curling in recognition. “That’s Dr. Zatanna Zatara,” he informed him. “She’s a lung specialist at Gotham General.”

“Excuse me,” Dick murmured as he moved past Bruce as if lost in a trance.

“Go get ‘em, tiger,” Bruce muttered with a grin.

“Stay in this room,” Dick firmly stated over his shoulder. “I don’t want to find you have snuck off with Diana to some secret corner of the museum where I can’t find you.”

“Don’t worry,” Bruce told him. “Diana won’t let me go anywhere without you.”

“That could become awkward,” Dick quipped with a smirk before walking away.

“Not if I can help it,” he replied.

Diana turned towards Bruce, taking his hand in hers. “Come,” she said. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Leading him across the room, Bruce spotted a very muscular man with long hair tied back. He would look intimidating to anyone who didn’t know him, but Diana obviously did. He felt a twinge of jealousy until a beautiful woman with flaming red hair handed him a glass of champagne, the man’s discomfiture not diminishing in the least.

“Arthur!” Diana called as she drew closer. “I’m so glad you decided to come tonight. You look handsome in your suit.”

“I had no choice,” he replied with a frown, looking pointedly at Mera.

“I told him he needed to come to support his coworkers,” Mera told her, extending a hand. “Hi, I’m Arhtur’s wife, Mera.”

Diana took her hand, a warm smile adorning her face. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

“You too,” she agreed. “You and Shayera are his two-favorite people at the museum.”

“He’s a great help here,” Diana replied. “This is Bruce Wayne.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Bruce said, shaking hands with the couple. He had to admit he was more than a little relieved that Arthur was married. He didn’t want any competition.

“Well, I know you don’t care for events like this, but I’m happy you came,” Diana told her.

Arthur smiled a reluctant smile. “I guess it’s not so bad.”

“Enjoy yourselves,” Diana said, leading Bruce away. “Do you want to get something to eat?”

“That sounds good,” he agreed. “I think Dick is officially occupied for the moment if you want to slip away.”

Diana looked to her left to find Dick talking to her pulmonologist. “Well, that’s an interesting turn of events.”

“I think they look good together,” Bruce thoughtfully replied.

“I hope it works out for them.”

Bruce tightened his grip on her hand, leaning in close to whisper in her ear. “Want to show me your office?”

Diana pursed her lips as she gazed into his piercing blue eyes that always seemed to draw her in and wrap her up like a warm blanket that she never wanted to get free from. “Okay,” she agreed only to hold up a finger before his face. “But we can’t linger too long. They’re going to do the unveiling of the statue in half an hour.”

“We won’t be gone long,” he promised her, taking her forefinger to kiss the tip of it.

“And we have to tell Dick where we’re going,” she reminded him.

Bruce sighed as he rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he reluctantly conceded.

They made their way to Dick and Zatanna who were laughing over something that Dick had obviously said. “Diana!” Zatanna exclaimed, rushing to hug her. “I was hoping to see you tonight. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing very well,” she replied, returning her embrace.

“Dick, Diana wants to show me her office,” Bruce told him. “We’ll only be gone for a few minutes.”

Dick looked from Bruce to Diana and back again, not liking the idea at all. “I’ll go with you.”

“We’ll be fine,” Diana reassured him. “The rest of the museum is locked down for the evening. No one is there except for the security guards.”

“All right…but I’m timing you,” Dick stated, talking as if he were giving orders to a couple of teenagers. “You’ve got fifteen minutes. After that, I’m coming to look for you and I don’t want to interrupt anything I don’t need to be a witness to.”

Diana blushed furiously as she turned away, Bruce chuckling as he began to escort his girlfriend away. “We’ll behave, dad,” Bruce retorted.

“I think you and Dick are becoming like brothers,” Diana told him.

“I don’t know if I’d go that far.”

“I think Zatanna likes Dick,” she commented as they made their way to her office.

“It’s obvious he likes her.”

“Maybe we could all go out together sometime.”

“Double date with my official police bodyguard and your pulmonologist?” he asked sarcastically.

“Yes, why not?”

“Oh, no reason,” he replied with a laugh. “Just didn’t expect to become good friends with my police escort or his matchmaker.”

“Here it is,” she said as they entered her office, flipping on the lights.

The first thing that struck him was the expanse of windows that lined the one side of her office. “This is quite impressive. It’s almost as big as my office.”

“Are you serious?” she asked, surprised. “I think my office is far too big. I can only imagine what your office looks like.”

“I’ll have to show you sometime,” he told her as his arms slid around her waist before pulling her to him.

He claimed her lips with a desire that had been simmering within him all evening. It felt amazing to have her to himself for a little while. He just had to make sure he had her back to the party before the unveiling or Dick came looking for them.

Diana wrapped her arms around his neck as she tilted her head, his tongue slowly stroking hers with a sensual passion that could easily grow into something so much more. He gently backed her up against the wall, pressing himself against her and showing her just what she did to him.

The feel of him growing against her ignited a flame inside of her that could not be denied or ignored for very much longer. She knew that she loved this man…wanted him more than anything, but memories of what Christian did to her continued to echo in her mind despite reminding herself that Bruce was not like him.

After several long moments, Bruce finally broke the kiss, his breathing exerted. He nuzzled her nose with his, his lips ghosting across her once more. “We should probably get back,” he softly murmured, not willing to release his hold on her just yet.

“Probably,” she whispered, her voice holding little conviction.

“Dick will come looking for us soon,” he tried again, his willpower melting in the wake of her feminine curves pressed against the length of his body.

“He will,” she breathed as her lips found his once more in a display of heated need.

Bruce readily responded, pressing his hips into hers. She moaned with the evidence of his desire for, wanting to feel every part of him. He kissed her deeply, not wanting to let her go anytime soon if ever. He wanted her…needed her, but this was not the time or the place. He needed to stop this before he couldn’t.

He abruptly broke away with a gasp, breathing heavily as he rubbed his face with his hands. “I…I’m sorry, Diana,” he apologized. “I shouldn’t have gotten carried away like that. I just…”

She placed a finger on his lips, effectively silencing him. “I want you too…more than you can imagine,” she reassured him. 

He took her finger from his lips to weave his fingers with hers. “You’re definitely not helping matters,” he uttered with a low groan.

“Let’s get back to the unveiling,” she suggested. “After that, we’ll see where the evening takes us.”

His lips curved into a huge smile, his hands finding her hips. “Are you serious?”

She nodded her head. “I love you, Bruce.”

“I love you too, but I don’t want to pressure you into this if you’re not ready,” he replied, concern clouding his eyes.

“You’re not,” she assured him with a gentle shake of her head. “I want this…I want you. I just was scared after what I went through with Christian. I didn’t know if I could fully commit myself to another relationship, but now I’m certain. This is what I want with you.”

He kissed her again, longing igniting all over again. They were quickly interrupted by the sound of Bruce’s cell phone ringing. He pulled back, taking his cell phone out of his pocket. “It’s probably Dick calling to see where we are,” he grumbled, relieved to find it was Clark. “Hey, Clark. Are we still on for Sunday night?”

Diana smiled to herself as she began to wander around her office, coming to stop before the floor to ceiling windows that she adored. She folded her arms against her chest as Bruce talked to Clark, her heart feeling lighter and fuller than it had in more months than she could begin to count.

This was right; this was what she wanted. She wanted Bruce…wanted a life with him. She just never dreamed that leaving her tormented past and Greece would lead her to Gotham and Bruce. It was almost magical in a way, like a fairytale. She’d never believed in fairytales until she’d met Bruce Wayne.

Now, she felt that anything was possible.

The sound of Bruce’s laughter warmed her heart, her lips quirking slightly. She never thought that she would ever meet someone as amazing and loving as him. After Christian, she’d been determined to never fall in love again, but Bruce had changed all that in a blink of an eye.

“See you Sunday evening…okay…bye,” Bruce said to Clark, turning his attention to Diana on the other side of the office. “Ready to go back? I’m sure Dick—”

The sound of the window suddenly shattering stopped them both dead in their tracks. “Diana!” Bruce shouted as he ran towards her, a shower of glass raining down on top of her.

He found her crouched down on the other side of her desk, her hands over her head. “Diana,” he breathed her name as he knelt down in front of her, his hands coming to rest on her arms covered in bloody cuts and gashes from the broken glass. She was trembling uncontrollably as she slowly raised her head to look at him, terror in her eyes. 

“Are you all right?” Bruce gently asked her.

“What happened?” Dick asked as he raced towards them with gun drawn.

“I don’t know,” Bruce said as he helped Diana stand to her feet. “The window suddenly shattered right in front of Diana.”

Dick quickly looked around, spotting something that caused his blood to run cold. Using his fingernails, he picked a bullet out of the side of Diana’s desk. He held it up, Bruce’s heart nearly stopping with the sight of the bullet that could have taken Diana away from him forever.

“Are you okay?” Bruce asked Diana again, looking her over for any sign of injury apart from the cuts caused by the glass.

“I’m all right,” she replied, trying to stop trembling, but it was near impossible.

Memories of what Christian had done to her flooded her mind as tears welled in her eyes against her will, her heart racing with the fear that had risen up out of that place deep down inside of her where she thought she had locked it all away. It seemed to have roared to life with a fierce vengeance.

Bruce’s heart broke with the terror that pervaded her eyes, the tears that began to trail down her cheek to mingle with the trickles of blood from the cuts that adorned her face. He quickly pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly in his secure embrace and wishing he could fight all of her demons for her. Unfortunately, they had far more to battle now than just her past. 

There was someone out there in Gotham who wanted them dead.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Do they always fight like this?”

Dick shrugged his shoulders, taking a bite of his sandwich before answering. “Not that I know of,” he muttered with a mouthful of food. “This is the first fight I’ve seen so far.”

“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job of talking her into staying here at the manor tonight,” Roy replied as he reached for another sandwich from the platter Alfred had made for the two officers.

“Well, I’m afraid Miss Diana had a pretty rough go of it in the past in Greece and Master Bruce possesses the innate need to protect everyone around him since his parents were murdered,” Alfred explained as he refilled their drinks. “That can make for a somewhat volatile situation when the two collide.”

“I can imagine,” Dick replied. “They both seem pretty passionate.”

“Thanks for the food, Alfred,” Officer Roy Harper said. “I was starving. I had a long shift trying to cover for Dick here.”

“Yah, I didn’t get a chance to anything at the museum,” Dick added.

“It is my pleasure,” Alfred assured them. “The additional protection for Master Bruce and Miss Diana is much appreciated.”

“I don’t mind bailing my partner out,” Roy quipped, elbowing Dick in the side.

“Whatever,” Dick replied with a roll of his eyes. “You didn’t bail me out. Commissioner Gordon felt it would be better to have two officers here to look after Bruce and Diana after the attempt on Diana’s life tonight.”

Roy just gave him a cheeky grin as if he didn’t believe him for one moment. Dick shook his head in annoyance. This assignment was going to be even more difficult having his partner here with him. While he and Roy were good friends, Roy loved to push his buttons every chance he got.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going upstairs to prepare a guest room for Miss Diana and yourself, Mister Harper,” Alfred informed them.

Dick chuckled. “You’re pretty optimistic about Bruce’s skills of persuasion, Alfred.”

“Let’s just say that I like to be prepared for every eventuality,” Alfred replied with a smile before exiting the kitchen.

The sound of Bruce and Diana’s heated argument grew louder the closer Alfred drew to the library. He surreptitiously pulled the doors closed to allow them a measure of privacy, neither of them noticing as they continued to argue each of their points on the matter.

“Diana, listen to me,” Bruce pleaded with her. “I’m not saying you have to stay here forever. I just think it’s for the best if you stayed here at the manor until they find out who is behind these attempts on our lives.”

“I’m not going to run and hide, Bruce,” Diana adamantly stated, anger ablaze in her eyes. “I will continue to work and live my life regardless of this threat.”

She had yet to treat the cuts that adorned her face and arms, dried blood like bright freckles on her skin. She was still wearing the gown that she had worn to the museum gala, not having any other clothes to change into yet. After being released from the museum by the police, they’d come straight to the manor much to her consternation.

“I’m not asking you to hide out here,” he snapped, growing irritated with her unwillingness to listen to his point of view. “I just want to make sure that you’re safe. I don’t want you all alone in your apartment without any protection.”

“Don’t you think I can take care of myself?” she demanded to know, her eyes narrowing as her hands came to rest on her hips.

“I’m not saying that,” he ground out in frustration. “Someone out there is trying to kill us, and I refuse to standby and allow that to happen.”

“I will not allow anyone to control me ever again, Bruce,” she angrily spat out. “I endured that once with Christian. I won’t do it again for any reason…not even for you.”

Bruce was suddenly standing right before her, his hands finding her upper arms. “I am not Christian, Diana,” he heatedly stated. “I don’t want to control you. I love you just the way you are. I only want to keep you alive. I won’t allow you to die because of me. I already lost my parents and there wasn’t anything to prevent it. I refuse to lose you too.”

Diana’s chin fell as realization settled over her. This wasn’t about controlling her. It was about not losing another loved one, about not losing her. “Fine,” she softly relented. “I will stay here at the manor with you.”

Relief washed over him like a spring rain as his fingers found her chin, lifting her head to meet his intent gaze. “I love you, Diana,” he gently said. “Controlling you…owning you…is the last thing that I want to do to you. I just want to keep you safe. Once this is all over, I won’t beg you to stay. You can move back to your apartment if that’s what you want.”

The corner of her lips quirked slightly, the anger vanishing from her eyes. “You wouldn’t want me to stay here?”

“If I had my way, you’d never leave here,” he admitted as his arms slid around her waist. “But I know you need the security of having your own place. I will never interfere with that.”

She inclined her head, her lips finding his in a kiss that conveyed so much emotion at that moment. “Thank you for understanding,” she murmured, pressing her forehead against his. “I know you’re not Christian, Bruce. I do trust you. It’s just going to take me a little time adjust to things.”

“I’ll give you all the time you need,” he assured her, kissing her forehead. “We’ll navigate our way through this one step at a time, one problem at a time.”

She released a ragged breath. “This one is a pretty big one.”

“It is, but we’ll find a way through it together,” he promised her. “We’re a team now. It’s you and me and you’re not getting rid of me very easily.”

“And us,” Roy interjected from the doorway, a sandwich in his hand. “Don’t forget about us.”

“How can we?” Bruce groused with a frown, annoyed with the intrusion.

He and Diana had just had their first argument and survived it. That was a huge step in his book. He knew it was going to take for her to overcome her past, but he was not about to push her. He loved her and was willing to do it whatever it took to make things work with her.

“Sorry to interrupt but we really need to talk about who could be after you two,” Dick informed them. “Things are escalating and they’re getting personal. They’re coming after Diana now too.”

Diana stepped out of Bruce’s embrace, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “No, it’s okay,” she replied as she sat down on a loveseat. “Bruce and I agreed that I should stay here at the manor for the time being. It’ll make it easier for you two to keep track of us.”

“See? I knew they’d work it out,” Roy told Dick with a grin. “You owe me twenty bucks.”

“Later,” Dick hissed before turning his attention to the couple before them. “Bruce, you had mentioned an ex-girlfriend Natalie that could be behind this, right?”

“Yes,” he admitted as he sat down beside Diana. “I haven’t seen or heard from her since she showed up at my hospital room after I was shot. Diana forced her to leave. I imagine she’s none too happy about it. I did take out a restraining order on her, though I’m not certain how good that will do if she really is behind all of this.”

“We’ve been investigating Natalie, but we haven’t come up with anything as of yet,” Dick informed them. “She has a solid alibi for the time you were shot.”

Bruce shook his head, his lips thinning into a grin line. “I know it wasn’t Natalie who shot me,” he replied. “It was definitely a man.”

“She still could’ve hired someone to do it,” Roy commented.

“Diana, is there anyone you can think of who might be out to get you two?” Dick questioned her.

Bruce and Diana shared a look. Bruce knew it was difficult for her to talk about, so he brought it up for her. “There is a previous boyfriend who could be behind all of this,” Bruce revealed, taking her hand in his.

Dick and Roy sat up a little straighter, leaning forward with interest as they shared a look. “Do you know where he is?”

“Last I knew he was still in Greece,” Diana told them. “He is a hitman for the mafia. After he tried to kill me, he went underground. He hasn’t been seen since.”

“That is definitely something that we need to look into,” Dick stated. “What is his name?”

“His name is Christian Angelopoulos,” she said. “I don’t know how you’ll find him. The police in Greece haven’t been able to find him since he attacked me almost nine months ago now.”

“We can get a picture of him and see if he’s tried to enter the country,” Roy explained.

Diana wrapped her arms around herself as a shiver raced through her, the thought of him anywhere near her causing her fear to spike. She suddenly felt very tired as haunting memories from the past rose up in her mind. Bruce’s arm slipped around her, pulling her close to him. 

“If he is here in Gotham, we’ll deal with it together,” he softly assured her, kissing her temple. “You’re not alone this time. I’m not leaving you.”

“You two are not going anywhere without one of us with you at all times,” Dick added. “We’ll go to work with you, to the store, out to eat. You’re not going to be out of our sight.”

“This is insane,” she murmured, feeling as though she was right back in that hospital bed recovering from Christian’s attempt on her life, security stationed right outside her door in case he tried again.

“Come, let’s get you cleaned up and something else to wear,” Bruce suggested, standing to his feet. “Tomorrow we’ll go to your apartment and pack up some of your things.”

“I’ll take the first shift,” Roy volunteered.

“You two should be able to sleep too,” Bruce told them. “I have the best security system in the world. If anyone steps foot anywhere on the grounds, we’ll know about it long before they even reach the house.”

“Works for me,” Roy decided, looking at Dick. “Do you agree?”

Dick didn’t look completely convinced. He already felt as though he’d let them down once by letting Bruce and Diana go to her office only to be shot at. He knew there was likely nothing that he could’ve done to prevent it from happening since it came from somewhere outside of the museum, but still it weighed heavily on his mind.

“Fine, but I want to do a thorough search of the grounds before turning in,” Dick said.

“If you two need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me or Alfred,” Bruce told them.

“Thanks,” Roy replied. “Alfred was getting a room ready for me.”

“He’ll be down to get you then,” Bruce said.

“Sleep well and don’t worry about anything,” Dick stated.

Bruce nodded as he led Diana out of the room. “Do you want something to eat?”

“No, I’m not hungry,” she answered. “I just want to get cleaned up and go to bed.”

“I had Alfred prepare the guest room right next to mine so in case you need anything you can come get me.”

“That’s very sweet of you,” she replied as they made their way upstairs.

“And in case you get lonely during the night,” he teased as he bumped her shoulder with his, a grin on his face.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” she assured him with a chuckle.

He led her into her room to find Alfred had laid out one of Bruce’s shirts on the bed for her to sleep in along with some towels. “You have your own bathroom right through that door,” Bruce revealed. “Let’s clean your wounds before you go to bed.”

“Bruce, really I’m fine,” she attempted to reassure him as she took his hands in hers. “They’re just superficial cuts. They don’t even hurt.”

Bruce frowned as he studied her, the sight of her hurt like this caused an ache to fill his chest. “I’m so sorry, Diana,” he softly said, fighting back the thick knot of emotion that had found its way to his throat. “I never meant for you to be dragged into whatever this is.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” she replied, her hand moving to cup his cheek. “None of this is your fault.”

“I know, but if it’s really Natalie behind all of this…” he began, his voice trailing off.

“Shhh…it could just as easily be Christian or it might be some lunatic that we don’t even know,” she pointed out. 

“You’re right,” he relented with a sigh. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right tonight?”

She smiled affectionately at him, her lips claiming his once more. “I’ll be fine,” she promised him, her hands coming to rest against his chest. “I’m going to take a shower and go right to bed.”

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he replied. “Come get me if you need anything.”

“I will…now go get some sleep.”

“Good night, Diana.”

“Good night. Sleep well.”

He smiled at her as he lingered near the door, finally forcing himself to leave, closing the door behind him. She smiled to herself, her heart taking flight. She hadn’t believed that she could find true love after what she went through with Christian, but she had definitely found it in Bruce.

XXX

Bruce laid awake in his bed, unable to sleep. He’d left Diana in her room next door over an hour and a half ago and yet he couldn’t stop thinking about her or who could possibly be behind these attacks on them. Could it be Natalie or Christian? Maybe someone he had done business with that hadn’t gone well.

The storm of questions continued to bombard his mind, keeping him awake. He glanced at the empty side of his bed wishing Diana were here with him. He just wanted to hold her, feel her body curled up against his. He could wait to make love with her if he could just fall asleep with her in his arms.

With a huff of annoyance with himself, he flopped over onto his back once more. He needed to think of something else…remember something that made him happy like the first time he met Diana or their first kiss. His lips curved with fond remembrance as his mind began to relax a little.

He was anxious for Clark and Lois to meet Diana. He knew that they would love her. What was not to love about Diana?

At that moment, the door to his bedroom slowly opened, the woman that consumed his thoughts poking her head in. He sat up in question, concern on his face as he propped himself up on his elbows. “Diana?” he murmured her name.

Dressed in one of his shirts, she looked amazing despite the tiny cuts that still adorned her face. Without a word, she slowly made her way to his bed, moonlight from a nearby window cutting a golden swath across his room and revealing the determination that was aflame in her eyes. 

He opened his mouth to speak again, but she swiftly silenced him with her mouth as she climbed into his bed with him. It took him a second to respond to her, but he quickly reciprocated, his arms slipping around her waist to hold her firmly on his lap. 

She kissed him slowly as she thoroughly explored his mouth, savoring the feel of him beneath her and the taste of him on her tongue. Bruce moaned deeply as began to shift her hips over him, his mind racing. He couldn’t believe that she was really here in his bed with him. He thought that she wanted to wait to make love with him. He couldn’t help wondering what had changed. 

Was she all right?

Retreating with a soft gasp, Bruce’s hands found her face to stop her. “Diana, what are you doing?”

Her lips quirked at the corners, her eyes dancing with love and a hint of mischief. “If you don’t know, then we have a problem here,” she teased.

Bruce couldn’t help but chuckle in response to her playfulness. “I know _what_ you’re doing,” he clarified with a smirk. “I’m just not sure why.”

“Because I love you,” she replied, her lips ghosting over his once more with an unspoken heat that was aching to be unleashed. “Isn’t that reason enough?”

“More than enough,” he readily decided, his lips crashing into hers as his hands found her bottom.

She hummed her approval as he squeezed her backside, her hands coming to rest against his bare chest. He kissed a heated trail along her jaw before finding every single cut on her face, kissing each one as if apologizing for what had happened to her. He placed butterfly kisses over her collarbone as his fingers deftly unbuttoned his shirt. Even though it was big on her, he readily decided she looked much better in his shirt than he did.

He gently pushed the material over her shoulders and down her arms, mesmerized by what he saw. She glanced down at the scar on her chest, a hideous reminder to her that she had once belonged to a man who didn’t deserve her. She wished more than anything that she could get rid of it.

Sensing her discomfort over the scar, Bruce pressed his lips against it as if apologizing for the pain that she had endured. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his hand sliding up her bare back, his lips finding her once more as he suddenly flipped her over onto her back.

She sighed contentedly as he began kissing her, touching her in places that caused her to gasp here or moan there. She arched her back and closed her eyes as ecstasy began invading every single part of her body, her entire being filled with nothing but this amazing man.

He whispered his love for her between passionate kisses that left her breathless, the truth of his words poured into every single movement of his hips and every caress of his hands. Her every pleading gasp of pleasure begged for more as they lost themselves in the love that they held in their hearts.

They took their time expressing their love, savoring the intimacy that they now shared. Leisure exploration with mouth and hands served to prolong the building passion that was ready to explode if finally given the chance to finally find completion in the other.

Finding release, Bruce held her trembling form possessively against him, both sated as they lay in the sweet cocoon of love that they had created and had found in each other. She placed tender kisses along his throat before curling deeper into his side, neither knowing where one ended the other began.

She moved her hand to rest over the steady thumping of his heart that she loved, feeling whole for the first time in her life. “I love you, Bruce,” she sleepily murmured against his neck.

“I love you too,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head before drifting off to sleep, feeling better than he had in a very long time.

XXX

_He was running as fast his young legs would take him, bumping into brick walls and knocking over trashcans only to stumble and fall face first into a mud puddle. He quickly leapt to his feet to begin running again, brushing the rain from his face and eyes. He had to get help…had to stop this madness before he lost everything that he’d ever loved and known._

_“Please…help me!” he screamed at the top of his lungs; his breathing ragged as his terrified gaze darted around him in the darkness._

_There was no response to his crying pleas for help, no one to save him from the madness. There were only the tears trickling down his face, the pounding of his heart in unison with his shoes upon the asphalt and the sound of the gunshots still ringing in his ears. Every corner he turned brought him no closer to help, no closer to saving them. There was nothing he could do._

_They were gone…forever._

_He continued to run despite that knowledge, his young legs suddenly growing stronger and longer…more muscular the faster he ran. He glanced down at himself to find he was a grown man now, his parents long since lost him. The rain continued to pound against the ground just as sure as the boots that he wore._

_Why was he still running and who was he looking for?_

_“Diana!” he screamed into the night, his voice echoing off the walls of the narrow alley that seemed to lead to nowhere in particular. “Diana! Where are you?”_

_“Bruce?”_

_“I’m coming!” he yelled in desperation, pushing himself harder and faster as gunshots rang out into the night._

_He couldn’t find her…had no idea where she was or how to get to her. He had to find her before it was too late…before he lost her too. He would not lose her like he had lost his parents that dreadful night. He gritted his teeth as his hands curled into furious fists._

_“NO!” he screamed with all his might. They would not take her too._

“Bruce?” Diana called his name, her hand coming to rest against his cheek. “Bruce, wake up.”

He awoke with a start, gazing up to find Diana leaning over him with worry in her eyes. Without a second thought, he sat up and wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her with all that he had. Hot tears began to escape his eyes as he squeezed them closed against the fierce, emotional onslaught.

Diana held him close to her, the feel of tears on her bare shoulder alerting her to the fact this was no ordinary nightmare. He’d been calling out her name, the desperation in his voice frightening her. “Are you all right?” she asked as she gently stroked his hair.

He finally released her, pulling back in embarrassment as he wiped at his eyes. “Yes…I’m sorry,” he muttered as he averted his eyes. “You didn’t need to witness that.”

“What was your nightmare about?”

“It was nothing,” he attempted to brush it off.

“Bruce, you were terrified,” she told him, brushing his hair from his forehead. “Please, talk to me.”

He sighed as he scrubbed his face with his hands before finally meeting her worried gaze, knowing she deserved an explanation. “I used to have terrible nightmares for years after my parents were murdered,” he explained. “They stopped several years ago after meeting with a grief counselor as a teenager, but I guess the attempt on your life at the museum brought them back.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said, caressing his cheek. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“No,” he replied, drawing a shuddering breath in an effort to calm himself. “I’m okay now.”

“Come here,” she gently coaxed him, guiding him to lay back down in bed.

Diana shifted her position on top of him, leaning down and kissing him with such tenderness and love that it nearly brought the tears to his eyes once more. She slowly caressed his face, his throat, his sides as her warm lips began a thorough exploration of his chest.

“Diana,” Bruce softly breathed her name like an intimate prayer between lovers as his fingers became tangled in her hair, holding her to him.

“Just let me love you, Bruce,” she murmured between heartfelt kisses.

He pressed the back of his head into the pillow as she kissed the newly healed scar below his collarbone, his eyes slamming closed as she continued her tender ministrations over his torso. He had no idea how he had been so fortunate to have meet this Greek goddess, but he was never going to let her go.

She was his now and he was hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Started Take a Chance on Me! I'm working on Chp 2 now so be looking for it in the coming weeks. :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Working on Chp 3 of Take a Chance on Me! :)

Chapter 11

Diana pulled out a couple of pairs of pants, carefully refolding them before putting them neatly away in the dresser drawer Bruce had cleared out for her to use. She still had mixed feelings about moving into the manor at such an early stage in their relationship.

She knew that it wasn’t permanent unless she decided to make it so. It was out of necessity and safety—nothing more. While she knew that, the apprehension that had blossomed in her chest since packing up her things at her apartment had refused to diminish in the least.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t falling in love with Bruce or that she didn’t want to be with him. It was just the opposite. She knew that she was in love with him and loved spending time with him. It was the feeling that she was giving up her independence…losing a piece of herself by staying here at the manor instead of in her own apartment.

She knew that she could take care of herself, but then again, there was no safety if it was truly Christian who was behind all of this. There was no place she could go, nowhere that she could hide even if she wanted to. He would find her, and he would kill her.

The thought caused a shiver of dread to race through her as she pulled out some shirts to hang in the closet. Even now, she was still struggling with all that Christian had done to her, the pain and anguish that he had created by murdering her parents and her sister.

To say that she wrestled constantly with survivor’s guilt was an understatement.

Why had she been left? Why hadn’t Christian killed her too? The questions bombarded her on an almost daily basis, leaving her to wonder why she was alive, and her family was not. It was more than just the fact that she had been at her university in classes that day.

Christian had allowed her to live only for him to try to kill her later when she had finally learned the truth and had rejected him.

Walking back to the bed where she and Bruce had made love last night, she pulled out a couple of pairs of panties and a lacy bra. She turned back towards the dresser, placing them in the drawer as an unexpected pair of arms slipped around her waist.

“I love the look of those panties,” he murmured low in her ear, pausing to lick and nip at her earlobe. “I’m going to love removing them even more.”

The corners of Diana’s lips quirked as she melted back against his muscular chest. “You really shouldn’t be peeking at my unmentionables,” she tried to tell him.

“Why not?” he asked, refusing to release his possessive hold on her as he kissed along her throat. “I saw you in all your amazing glory last night.”

“But there should be some surprises, don’t you think?” she questioned him, a soft gasp escaping as she tilted her head to the side to give him more access to her.

“You are a constant source of surprises,” he reassured her. “That’s what makes you so exciting.”

“One day, you’ll know all my surprises and then I won’t be so exciting anymore.”

“Nonsense,” he huskily replied. “I fall more in love with you with every single thing I learn about you. Soon, I’m going to be so hopelessly in love I won’t be able to escape your charms.”

Diana chuckled softly as she turned in his arms to kiss him soundly. “You are crazy, Bruce Wayne.”

“Crazy for you,” he corrected her, his lips grazing hers. “Are you all done unpacking?”

“Just finished.”

“Good,” he said. “I have a surprise for you.”

“What are you up to?”

“You have your surprises and I have mine,” he coyly responded, taking her by the hand. “Come on.”

“Am I dressed all right for whatever you have planned?” she asked, glancing down at her jeans and button up shirt.

“You’re perfect,” he assured her as he led her out of his bedroom and down the stairs.

Making his way down the hall, they were met by Roy who had a sandwich in his hand. “Where are you two going?”

“Outside,” Bruce cryptically informed him.

“Outside where?” Roy persisted, frowning as he studied the couple before him.

“I promise we’re staying on the grounds of Wayne Manor,” Bruce revealed.

“I think one of us should go with you,” Roy decided.

“Absolutely not,” Bruce adamantly stated. “Diana and I would like to have some privacy.”

Roy just smirked at him before he took another bite. “I bet you would.”

“Don’t you have a shooter to catch?” Bruce asked with a glare.

“We’re working on it,” Roy assured him. “In fact, Dick is searching for Christian right now.”

“And what are you doing?” Diana questioned him.

“I’m going out to do a round of the grounds.”

Bruce frowned at him. “Avoid the west part of the grounds.”

“You got it chief,” Royd said with a salute. “If you run into any trouble, you call me or Dick immediately.”

“We’ll be fine,” he told him, pulling Diana along with him. “I’d protect her with my life if I needed to.”

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” Roy said under his breath as he walked away.

“Bruce, are you sure it’s okay?” Diana asked.

“No one can get through to the west part of the grounds,” he replied. “There is a cliff that overlooks the water. To the left, there is a thick forest that you can’t navigate through. Believe me…I’ve tried. It’s so overgrown with thorny bushes anyone would be crazy to try to get through it.”

“What do you have planned?”

“You’ll see,” he told her as he led her outside towards the horse stables.

“You have horses?”

“Two of them,” he revealed. “Bella and Duke.”

“I love horses,” she revealed. “I haven’t been able to ride in years.”

“Well, it’s time you got to ride one again.”

“I don’t know if I’ll remember how.”

“I’ll help you,” he promised her.

“How did you learn to ride?”

“My mother taught me,” he informed her as they entered the stables. “We used to ride together all the time before she passed away.”

Diana could see the flicker of sorrow that passed over his face. She squeezed his hand, not wanting to bring up any bad memories for him. “Bruce, if this is too difficult for you…”

“No, not all,” he quickly replied with a smile. “I want to take you on a tour of the grounds, and this is the best way. If you want, we can ride together on my horse or you can ride Bella.”

“I would love to ride Bella,” she said with an adventurous grin.

Bruce was a little disappointed that she didn’t want to ride with him, but the excited smile she gave him caused his disappointment to pass quickly. He longed to feel her in his arms again, but that would happen soon enough. Having her in his bed last night had been incredible in every way. He was anxious to be with her again.

XXX

Diana was amazed how much she remembered about riding a horse. It didn’t hurt that Bella was such a gentle horse with a sweet disposition. It seemed to sense her initial apprehension, licking eagerly at her hand when she’d first met the mare as if reassuring her that she’d take good care of her.

She looked over at Bruce riding next to her, readily deciding that he looked incredibly handsome riding his sleek black steed. She slowly raked her teeth over her bottom lip as she appreciated his muscular physique as well as the way that he held himself.

Bruce glanced at his lover, noticing the almost predatory way she was looking at him. It sent a shiver through him with the way she was raking her teeth over her bottom lip. He couldn’t help wondering what she was thinking or better yet, what it was that she wanted to do to him. It was quite obvious by the lustful gleam in her eye that she wanted him.

He felt his jeans tighten almost uncomfortably, looking away from her in order regain some sort of hold on his desire. Now was definitely not the time to indulge in such a fantasy with Roy Harper and Dick Grayson traipsing around the grounds of the manor.

“Is this the edge of the property?” Diana finally asked.

“Um, yes, it ends just past this fence here,” he replied, pointing at the fence that extended into the woods.

“I can’t believe how enormous the grounds are,” she said. “You are so fortunate to be able to own so much land.”

“I love it,” he told her with a reflective, almost dreamy air. “It affords a lot of freedom to just wander the acreage and yet still be at home. I often come out here after a bad day at work to unwind and forget for a while.”

“I can see the draw,” she agreed. “It’s absolutely beautiful. It must take a lot of work to keep up the grounds like this.”

“We have a grounds crew that comes once a week for mowing and general upkeep,” he informed her. “The gardens at the back of the house, however, are Alfred’s pride and joy. No one is allowed to touch them except for him.”

Diana grinned with the revelation. “Do you think he’ll allow me to walk through it?” she asked. “I’d love to see it.”

“For you, I’m positive he’ll let you take a tour,” he assured her. “Where did you learn to ride horses?”

“My Aunt Antiope,” she told him with a soft smile. “We would visit her and my uncle in Italy. They had a farm with horses.”

“You don’t get to see your aunt and uncle very often,” he commented, more of a statement than a question.

“No,” she murmured, shaking her head. “My aunt passed away several years ago.”

“I’m so sorry, Diana,” he apologized. “Are you all that’s left in your family?”

She slowly nodded her head, her lips pursing as she fought back pesky tears. “Yes, I’m the last of my family,” she revealed. “My uncle soon passed away after my Aunt Antiope died. He was too heartbroken to go on. They never had any children.”

Bruce reached over to take her hand in his. “You’re not alone in this world anymore,” he reassured her. “You have me now.”

She smiled warmly at him, the desire to kiss him returning with a vengeance. “And Dick and Roy,” she lightly teased, trying her best to lighten the moment.

Bruce rolled his eyes with a growl. “Don’t remind me,” he groused. “I’ll be happy when they find whoever is behind these attacks so we can be free of our entourage.”

“At least they give us a little bit of freedom,” she pointed out. “They’re not constantly attached to us.”

“That would be completely awkward,” he grimaced.

“And embarrassing,” she added with a giggle, biting at her bottom lip.

Bruce laughed, watching as she pulled a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He was growing anxious to reach their destination. He just hoped she liked the surprise that he had waiting for them there. “Let’s head to the cliff. I want to show you the view there. It’s spectacular especially when the sun begins to set.”

“I can’t wait to see it.”

Bruce led the way towards the cliff, spotting what had been left there for them by Alfred. Diana peeked around Bruce, also spying something waiting for them in the grass. “Bruce, what are you up to?”

“You’ll see,” he told her.

Leading her towards the picturesque spot, Bruce got off his horse, wrapping the reins around a low limb of a nearby tree. Diana followed suit, tying Bella’s reins next to Duke’s. Taking her hand, Bruce led her towards the spread-out blanket lying on the grass a few feet away from the cliff’s edge.

“Bruce, this is amazing,” she murmured as they approached.

“I thought you might like it out here,” he replied as they sat down on the blanket beneath a tree, a picnic blanket waiting for them.

Opening it, he pulled out two wine glasses and a bottle of chilled wine. “Hmmm…my favorite wine,” she noted. “Good choice.”

“That’s not all,” he told her. “I just so happen to have your favorite horiatiki salad. Alfred made it especially for you.”

“My mouth is watering already,” she said, excitedly taking the offered bowl and fork.

“So, I don’t have to share the homemade tiramisu that Alfred prepared?”

“Bruce!” Diana exclaimed, trying to snatch the container of delicious dessert from him. “You can’t eat all of it. I’m your girlfriend. You have to share with me.”

Bruce chuckled as he handed his girlfriend her container of dessert. “Alfred made sure we each had our own portion. He knew that you wouldn’t share fairly when it came to tiramisu.”

“He’s absolutely right,” she said with a triumphant grin. “Alfred already knows me so well.”

“You already have him wrapped around your finger,” he informed her as he dove into his Greek salad.

“And you?” she teased with a smirk.

“You already have me hook, line, and sinker,” he replied, leaning over and kissing her. “Just like I have you.”

“Oh, really?” she said with a laugh, a single raven eyebrow arching in question as they ate. “You think so?”

Bruce’s expression fell as he studied her. “You aren’t in love with me?”

“Yes, I’m in love with you,” she confirmed.

“But?” he cautiously pressed.

“No ‘but’”,” she casually uttered with a shrug of a single shoulder, her focus on her salad.

“You’re not completely in this relationship,” he softly said. “You’ve got one foot out just in case.”

“I love you, Bruce,” she assured him, taking his hand in hers. “There’s just a small part of me that is afraid. Good things in my life don’t seem to last. I just don’t want to get my hopes up too much…that’s all.”

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere,” he replied. “You’re stuck with me.”

She smiled sadly at him, her hand coming to rest against his cheek. “I wish I could believe that, but there’s someone out there who is after us. They want one or both of us dead for some reason.”

Setting aside his and her dinner, Bruce took her hands in his. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, Diana. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep you safe.”

“I know…I’m sorry,” she apologized, slowly shaking her head. “I didn’t mean to ruin our picnic. You put so much effort into it.”

“You’re not ruining anything,” he stated, his hand slipping up into her hair. “I want you to trust me…trust this. I’m not going to leave you, Diana.”

“I’m not going to leave you either,” she promised, pressing her lips to his.

Bruce’s other hand slipped into her hair, holding her close as the kiss intensified. He swore to himself that there was nothing that he wouldn’t do for this woman in his arms. She had seen so much pain and anguish in her life. He was more than determined to show her a life filled with love and happiness.

XXX

“So, are we invited to dinner?” Roy asked as he reached for a dinner roll only for Alfred to slap his hand away.

“I’m afraid not,” Alfred informed him. “You and Richard will be dining here in the kitchen.”

Roy shook his hand with a frown. “But we get to eat Châteaubriand too?”

“If you promise to save Master Bruce and Miss Diana,” Alfred stated rather bluntly.

“We’re doing everything we can, Alfred,” Roy stated. “Dick and I have been trying to track Christian down.”

“Any luck so far?”

“We have some leads that we’re following up on,” Roy revealed. “In fact, Dick is following up on one right now.”

Alfred sighed heavily as he paused in putting the salad into individual bowls. “I can only pray that you find him soon.”

“You really think Christian is behind all of this?”

“It seems to make the most sense,” he replied.

“You don’t think Natalie could be behind this…maybe someone that has a grudge against Bruce because of some business deal that didn’t work out?”

“I guess it could be,” he admitted. “Christian tried to kill Miss Diana once. It’s not beyond reason he would come all the way to America to try again.”

Roy grew solemn as he thought about it. “We got Diana’s files from Greece,” he softly said. “I still shudder just thinking about what that monster did to her. She’s very fortunate to be alive.”

“That she is,” Alfred agreed. “The good Lord was watching over her.”

“What smells so good?” Dick asked as he entered the kitchen. “I’m famished.”

“Have you found Christian?” Alfred asked.

“No, but I’ve got a solid lead,” Dick told him. “I have a friend of mine looking into it for me.”

“I guess that is more than we had yesterday,” Alfred stated. “I will allow you to have Châteaubriand as well, but you will eat here in the kitchen.”

“For Châteaubriand, I’ll eat it in the garage if I have to,” Dick said, wondering how he was going to survive not having Alfred’s cooking once this assignment was over.

The sound of the doorbell alerted Alfred that their guests were here. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to make your plates,” he told them as he walked out of the kitchen.

He made his way to the front door, opening it to find Lois and Clark on the front steps of the manor. “Welcome, Miss Lane…Mister Kent,” Alfred greeted them with a warm smile. “I hope you came hungry.”

“I always come hungry if you’re cooking Alfred,” Clark replied as they entered the manor with a grin.

“You are too kind, Mister Kent,” Alfred said.

“Alfred, you know you can call me Clark,” he reminded him.

Alfred just smiled at him, both knowing it would never change. “I’ll show you to the library. Master Bruce and Miss Diana should be down shortly.”

“Something smells divine, Alfred,” Lois told him as they entered the library.

“I believe you once mentioned a fondness for Châteaubriand, Miss Lane,” Alfred replied.

“Alfred, I could seriously kiss you,” Lois said, hugging Alfred. “Just say the word and I’ll dump Clark and marry you instead.”

“I would never interfere in a very happy engagement,” Alfred kindly responded, his lips twitching with amusement.

“Lois, you cannot take Alfred,” Bruce stated in no uncertain terms as he entered the library with Diana.

Lois glared at him. “Then, you have to have us over for dinner far more often,” she insisted, turning her attention to Bruce’s girlfriend. “Hi, I’m Lois Lane.”

Diana shook the offered hand, a warm smile adorning her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she replied. “Please forgive my appearance. All of the cuts haven’t quite healed yet.”

“I heard what happened to you,” Lois said, aghast. “Have they been able to catch the creep behind these attacks?”

“No, not yet,” Diana revealed. “Hopefully, they’ll be able to find out who’s behind it soon so I can return to my apartment.”

Clark couldn’t help but notice the displeasure that passed over his friend’s face. “I wouldn’t want to live with Bruce either,” Clark lightly teased. “He’s not a morning person.”

Bruce frowned at him. “Why did I invite you for dinner?”

“Clark Kent,” he introduced himself to Diana despite having met at her first museum gala introducing her to Gotham. “We met at your gala at the museum, but you probably don’t remember me. You were introduced to so many people that night.”

“I remember you,” Diana confirmed. “Bruce has told me so much about both of you.”

“It had better have been all good,” Lois stated, narrowed eyes locking on Bruce.

“I assure you it was all good,” Bruce told her.

“Dinner is served, sir,” Alfred announced.

“I can hardly wait,” Lois said, grabbing Diana’s hand as she walked past her towards the doorway. “Okay, dish. Are you in love with Bruce?”

Clark and Bruce both looked at each other. Clark shrugged his shoulders as if to say, ‘what can I do’. “We better hurry before Lois gives Diana the third degree and drives her from the manor,” Bruce told him.

Clark stopped Bruce, his hand on his shoulder. “Why is Diana so anxious to get back to her apartment? Doesn’t she want to stay here with you?”

“It’s…complicated,” Bruce revealed, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’re working on it.”

Clark nodded his head, squeezing his shoulder. “I really hope it works out for you and Diana. I’ve never seen you so happy and in love like this before.”

“Thanks,” he replied with a smile. “Diana is amazing. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met before.”

“Good…now let’s go save her from Lois.”

Clark and Bruce entered the dining room to find the two women chatting like old friends. “So, is he a good kisser?” Lois asked.

Diana looked helplessly to Bruce who came up behind Lois, placing both hands on her shoulders. “Behave, Lane,” he warned. “I’ll make you sit in the kitchen with our two police bodyguards.”

“As long as I get my Châteaubriand, I could eat in a doghouse for all I care,” she told him.

Clark took his seat next to his fiancé, worry for his friend rising to his face. “I’m glad you have two policemen stationed here at the manor, but do you think it’s enough?” he asked as Alfred began to serve the meal.

“You know I have the best security system in the world, Clark,” Bruce reminded him. “We’ll know the second someone steps foot anywhere on the property.”

“What about work?” Lois asked as she began to dive into her dinner.

“We’ll go back to work tomorrow,” Diana replied. “Dick will go to work with Bruce and Roy will go with me to the museum.”

“Will Alfred be all right here at the manor alone?” Clark questioned him.

Bruce chuckled as he reached for his glass of water. “Alfred is more than capable of taking care of himself. He was in the British Secret Service.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Clark said more to himself than his dinner companions. “He just always seems so gentle and kind. It’s hard to believe he was a spy.”

“You never told me that,” Diana said to Bruce.

“More surprises,” he teased her.

Diana smirked at him, shaking her head. “You’re incorrigible.”

“You have no idea,” Lois said with a laugh. “Get these two together and they’re even worse.”

“Lois…” Bruce warned her.

“We’ll share stories later,” Lois said to Diana with a conspiratorial grin.

“Remind me to keep these two apart,” Bruce told Clark.

“What’s the most romantic thing Bruce has done so far?” Lois asked her.

Diana thought for a moment. “There are actually two things,” she replied, her blue eyes sparkling with love as she glanced at Bruce. “He left an orchid on my car with two tickets to the ballet and yesterday, he took me for a horseback ride to a spot out on the cliff where he had a picnic dinner waiting for us. We sat wrapped up in the blanket under the tree watching the sun set.”

Lois sat back in her chair, her violet eyes widening as she stared in shock at Bruce. “I’m impressed, Wayne,” she praised him. “I didn’t know you had it in you. Clark, start taking notes.”

Bruce reached under the table to place his hand on her thigh, gently caressing her. “I’m not giving away all my secrets.”

The doorbell rang at that moment, causing everyone to freeze. They all looked at each other, Bruce’s hand gently squeezing Diana’s thigh in an attempt to reassure her. Everyone sat in tense silence, waiting to see who it was and what was going to happen.

After several long moments, Bruce stood to his feet. “I’m going to see what’s going on.”

“Bruce, don’t,” Diana said as she reached for his hand, afraid for him.

“It’ll be all right,” he promised her, leaning down and kissing her before walking out of the dining room.

“I’m sure it’s nothing, Diana,” Clark attempted to reassure her.

“It’s probably one of Bruce’s exes,” Lois said without thinking.

Clark frowned at his fiancé, knowing she wasn’t helping at all. Lois looked up from her plate, realizing what she had just said. “I mean it could be just about anyone. Bruce knows practically everyone in Gotham.”

Diana glanced down at her meal, her appetite vanishing. Every second that slipped by was agonizing. The only comfort she had was the fact that Dick and Roy were no doubt right there at his side. The sound of voices growing louder filtered into the dining room, but they couldn’t make out what was being said. Whatever was being discussed had dissolved into a heated argument.

“I’m going to check on Bruce,” Diana finally said, standing to her feet just as Bruce returned.

He looked furious, but quickly tucked it away as he made his way around the table to his seat. “Sorry for the interruption.”

“Who was it?” Diana asked as she sat down.

“Natalie,” he revealed with a bitter tone.

“What is she doing here?” Clark asked. “I thought you had a restraining order against her.”

“I do, but she doesn’t seem intent on abiding by it,” Bruce stated with an edge to his voice. “Roy arrested her. He’s taking her downtown right now.”

Diana visibly relaxed, relieved to know that she was gone. If she were behind the attacks, she would be behind bars at least for tonight. “What did she want?”

“Later,” he murmured, kissing her.

“I’m glad she’s in jail,” Diana said.

“She’ll be out by morning, but it’s a definite start,” Clark agreed.

“Okay, enough about Natalie,” Lois said. “Let’s talk about me. I’m the bride and I’m getting married. I want all the attention.”

Bruce couldn’t help but laugh. “All right, Lois, let’s talk about you and the wedding.”

As Clark, Lois, and Bruce delved into wedding plans, Diana found herself lost in thoughts about Natalie and her unexpected and unwanted appearance at the manor. Why had she come here despite Bruce’s restraining order? Could she be behind the attacks on them…a last-ditch effort to get Bruce back?

The thought caused her stomach to churn, her appetite not returning. Someone was out to devastate and destroy them and the possibilities weren’t just from her past, but his as well.


	12. Chapter 12

** Chapter 12 **

Diana sighed contentedly as Bruce curled up against her back, his arms and legs encasing her in his protective embrace that she loved. She tilted her head to kiss his forearm, basking in the warm afterglow that consumed them both.

“I could stay here like this with you forever,” he murmured, kissing her shoulder.

“I would love that,” she agreed as she lightly caressed his arm.

“I’m so glad that you got to spend some time with Lois and Clark tonight,” he told her. “They’re my best friends. They’ve gotten me through some pretty tough times.”

“I enjoyed it,” she replied. “Lois is a real firecracker.”

Bruce chuckled, his amusement turning into a groan. “You have no idea.”

Diana laughed as well, both of them shaking. “Did you see the look on Clark’s face when Lois said that we should come with them on their honeymoon?”

“I thought Clark was going to choke on his dessert,” Bruce said with a deep, rolling laugh that vibrated through his lover. “He recovered pretty well.”

“That would be so incredibly awkward,” she decided.

“Definitely,” he agreed. “At least Lois likes you enough to invite us on her honeymoon.”

“She even invited me to her bachelorette party.”

“They’re actually having a couples party,” he revealed. “Her sister Lana and I have been organizing it. I was going to ask you to be my date to the party.”

“Are you sure there isn’t anyone else that you’d rather take with you?” she teased as she rolled over in his arms, kissing along his jaw.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Well, there was this new girl at work that caught my eye the other day.”

Bruce suddenly found himself on his back, a very fiery lover straddling his waist. “Bruce Wayne,” she stated, poking him forcefully in the chest. “There had better be no other woman but me.”

Bruce grinned up at her, loving how much more pronounced her accent became the more worked up she got. Moonlight from the nearby window cast an ethereal glow across her nude body that only seemed to illuminate her feminine features. It was a very erotic view that he couldn’t tear his gaze away from even if he’d wanted to.

“You know you are the only woman who turns my head,” he reassured her, his hands sliding up her waist.

The fire in her eyes diminished only slightly as she asked what had been weighing on her mind all evening. “Bruce, what did Natalie want tonight?”

Bruce frowned, hoping that she would’ve forgotten about the interruption at dinner. He knew he wouldn’t get that lucky. “I don’t want you worrying about Natalie,” he replied. “You’re been through enough without having to worry about my crazy ex.”

“When I told you about Christian, you said that we would handle it together,” she reminded him. “Natalie is no different.”

“You’re right,” he relented with a sigh. “She insists that Amelia is my daughter. She wants me to do another paternity test at a different hospital.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“Absolutely not,” he adamantly stated. “I’ve already had one paternity test that proved that I’m not the father and neither is Harvey. This is just a futile attempt on her part to try to be me back, but I won’t play her games.”

“She’s going to be furious that Roy arrested her,” she thoughtfully said. “There’s no telling how she’ll try to get back at you.”

“I don’t want you worrying about it,” he told her. “Let me handle Natalie. I don’t want you stuck in the middle of this.”

“I already am,” she pointed out, a devious grin forming on her lips as she ground her hips on his lap. “And there’s no other place that I’d rather be than with you.”

Bruce gasped as his fingers dug into her flesh. “There’s no other place I want you to be either. In fact, I love where you are right now, and the view is amazing.”

“I think I might be able to make things even better,” she purred seductively as she began kissing along his throat.

Bruce groaned with the feel of her lips, tongue, and teeth against his skin. It was setting him on fire all over again. “Diana,” he moaned her name as he buried his fingers in her thick hair. “I think we need to take a vacation soon.”

Diana hummed against his clavicle, her lips curling with the suggestion. “Sounds perfect,” she murmured. “Where do you want to go?”

“With you? Anywhere,” he uttered, “but I do happen to have a yacht and a private villa in the French Rivera.”

“Let’s go now,” she readily decided, sitting up.

“No way!” he heatedly declared. “You’re finishing what you’ve started here.”

“I plan on it,” she replied with a wicked grin that only served to further heat his blood.

His eyes fell closed as his mouth fell open with a gasp as Diana continued her focused ministrations. Being with her was the only place that he ever wanted to be. As she began to make love to him, thoughts of proposing to her someday were already forming in his head along with the life that they could make together.

XXX

Bruce smiled to himself as he sent a text message to Diana, not realizing that Dick was watching him. “What are you up to now?” he asked the billionaire as Alfred pulled away from Wayne Enterprises.

Bruce glanced at him, his smile not wavering in the least. “Trying to get Diana to run away with me,” he revealed, receiving a raised eyebrow in the rearview mirror from Alfred.

“Not forever…just for now until this all settles down,” Bruce clarified.

“And how long do you think that will take?” Alfred inquired.

“Maybe a month…six weeks,” Bruce replied.

“I highly doubt that Miss Diana will leave her job at the museum for that length of time,” Alfred commented.

“I know, but I’m working on figuring that part out,” he told him.

“It might not be a bad idea to get away for a while,” Dick thoughtfully added.

“That’s what I thought,” Bruce replied. “It would be a good thing to get out of Gotham while you and Roy figure out who is behind it.”

“Who do you think it is?” Dick asked. 

“I think it’s Christian,” he confessed. “He’s toying with Diana…playing mind games with her by shooing but not killing us. He’s trying to terrorize her again.”

“It would make sense,” Dick agreed.

“Natalie is catty and manipulative…extremely narcissistic, but she wouldn’t sink to this level of depravity just to get what she wants,” Bruce explained. “She’ll eventually lose interest and move on to her next target. That’s just how she is.”

“She sounds like quite a catch,” Dick sarcastically said with a frown. “You sure know how to pick them.”

“No, but I do now,” Bruce replied with a grin. “I finally found the perfect one and I’m not going to let her go.”

“With any luck, my informant will come through for me today on Christian’s whereabouts.”

“I wish I could’ve talked Diana out of going into the museum until after this was all over.”

Dick and Alfred both snorted in amusement. “That would have never worked,” Dick told him. “Could she have talked you into not going into the office?”

“No, I suppose not,” he conceded. “I just can’t stand the thought of this psycho getting anywhere near her.”

“Roy is with her,” Dick reminded him. “He’ll protect her with his life if necessary.”

“I know,” Bruce replied, turning to gaze out the passenger door window at Gotham’s downtown landscape. “She’s just been through so much already. I hate seeing her being forced to endure it all over again.”

XXX

Diana checked her cell phone as she exited the museum after a long day at work, smiling to herself as she read the text message from Bruce. “I’m tired of this. Let’s run away together,” Bruce had texted her.

“Another text from Bruce?” Roy asked as he glanced at the Greek curator.

“Yes,” she confirmed with an amused shake of her head. “He’s tired of all of this. He wants us to run away together.”

“You know that might not be a bad idea,” Roy thoughtfully replied. “You two could lay low while Dick and I find out who has been behind these attacks.”

“I’m not running away and I’m not going into hiding,” she insisted as she slipped her phone into her purse. “I will not allow this stalker to dictate my life.”

“I appreciate your strong will and stubbornness…really I do…but sometimes you have to stay out of sight for a while,” he told her. “It would keep you both safe while we continued our investigation.”

“I have a job to do and a life to lead,” she stated with a scowl. “I’m not going to allow this person to determine what I do and don’t do. I had enough of that with Christian. I will not go through that again.”

“All right…all right,” Roy said, holding his hands up in front of him. “It was merely a suggestion. Forget I said anything.”

“It’s already forgotten,” she bit out as they began to make their way through the parking lot.

“So, do I get to help you put together a three-thousand-year-old pot tomorrow?” Roy quipped with a grin.

“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” she told him.

“Hey, I can do more than just protect you,” Roy countered. “I’m sure I can do something to help.”

Diana stopped short with an audible gasp, Roy immediately pulling his gun as he quickly looked around. “Stay back,” he ordered as he approached her SUV with his gun in hand, pulling his police radio to call Dick.

Diana couldn’t stop from trembling at the sight of the black rose lying on her windshield. She knew exactly who it was from—Christian. He was sending her a sign to let her know that he was there. He was watching her…knew her every move as well as everyone in her life. No one would be safe around her.

She quickly began looking around, fear gripping her as Roy carefully searched her SUV. Bruce would now know that it was Christian behind the attacks all along. Why would he want to stay with her knowing Christian was somewhere in the shadows watching and waiting for the right moment to strike? He deserved better than that.

Her chest grew tight, her airway constricting as Roy removed what appeared to be a bomb from under her car. She started coughing uncontrollably, doing her best to catch her breath. Her eyes began to water as time seemed to come to a screeching halt. She felt as though she was back in Greece with Christian, her parent’s home going up in flames with her trapped inside.

Roy was suddenly at her side, placing a gentle hand on her back. “Diana, are you okay?”

“I…I need…my…” she attempted to tell him as she desperately looked for her purse.

Tires squealed as a car pulled into the museum parking lot, Bruce jumping out of the back before Alfred had fully put the car in park. He ran straight towards Diana, his face clouded with fear and his piercing blue eyes flames of fire. “Diana!” he yelled as he approached. “Are you all right?”

She grabbed hold of the front of his suit as if holding onto him for dear life. “I…I can’t…”

“Where’s her purse?” Bruce demanded, looking at Roy.

“Here it is,” Dick said, picking up her purse that had been dropped when she had seen the black rose.

Bruce quickly dumped its contents out onto the hood of a nearby car, grabbing her inhaler and handing it to her. She immediately inhaled the much-needed medicine, closing her eyes against the tears that continued to steam down her face against her will.

“Should we call an ambulance?” Roy asked.

“No, give her a minute,” Bruce said, taking her hand in his.

Diana gripped his hand tightly, relieved as the medicine began to take effect. “I’m…okay now,” she managed to say with a definite wheeze.

“What did you find?” Bruce demanded to know.

“A black rose was left on her windshield,” Roy revealed. “I also found a bomb under her SUV, but it wasn’t set to detonate.”

“It was a dummy?” Dick asked.

“Afraid so,” he replied. “It was meant to strike fear, not to kill.”

“I’m taking you home,” Bruce stated, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and guiding her towards the car.

“I’ll get her purse,” Dick volunteered.

“I’ll drive her SUV to the manor,” Roy said.

“Are you all right, miss?” Alfred asked, worry alight in his eyes as they approached the car.

“I’ll be fine,” she reassured him with a forced smile as she slid into the backseat.

Bruce followed her inside, his arm slipping around her shoulders to hold her against him. “I’m sorry, Diana,” he softly said as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“It’s him…it’s Christian,” she murmured as she wiped away a tear. “He’s here.”

“Are you positive it’s him?”

“He left me a black rose,” she told him. “A black rose was found next my father’s body.”

“I’m not going to let him hurt you again,” he swore to her.

“Nothing can stop him, Bruce,” she told him. “He never gives up. He won’t stop until I’m dead.”

“You’re not going to die,” Bruce adamantly stated. “I refuse to let him take you away from me.”

Diana wished more than anything that Bruce was right, but he didn’t know Christian like she did. Christian was extremely dangerous. He wasn’t someone to mess with. She had to keep him safe and that meant not being anywhere near her. She needed to leave.

She sat up, turning to face him. “Bruce, I don’t think we should see each other for a while,” she told him, tears beginning to fall again with the thought. This was the hardest thing that she’d ever had to do. “It’s too dangerous to be around me.”

“No, I don’t accept that,” he heatedly said. “I’m not going anywhere, Diana. I don’t care what happens. I’m not leaving you and I’m not about to let you leave me.”

“Bruce, you don’t know him like I do,” she insisted. “He won’t stop until you and I are both dead.” 

“Diana…”

“I won’t be the reason that you get hurt or killed,” she stated. “I already lost my family. I won’t lose you too because of Christian.”

“And I’m not going to let you walk out of my life just to save mine,” he said with equal stubbornness. “I told you we’d deal with this together and we will. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, Diana.”

“Bruce, don’t make this harder than it already is,” she pleaded with him as her eyes fell closed, knowing deep down that she was fighting a losing battle.

The feel of his lips against her face erasing her tears caused her to sigh in reluctant surrender. His hands slipped up into her hair as his lips found hers in a sweet caress that she tried her best not to give in to, but she found herself responding to him despite her efforts.

Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers, knowing that he would do anything in this world for her no matter what the cost was to him. “I love you, Diana,” he softly said. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. I’m not going to lose you now that I finally have you.”

“You are the most obstinate man,” she murmured with a frown.

“And yet you’re still hopelessly in love with me,” he teased.

The corners of her lips quirked in response. “I am,” she confessed.

“Good,” he replied with a grin. “Now, I don’t want to hear anymore about you leaving me. I don’t want to go back to the way my life was before I met you, Diana.”

Her lips found his in a heated kiss, relishing the feel of him as she poured every ounce of her love for him into the intimate contact. She never thought that she would find true love when she had left Greece for Gotham, but now that she had actually found it, she was going to fight for it with every single ounce of strength she had. 

She knew they were stronger together than apart and that gave her hope.

XXX

Wally trotted up the steps to his apartment building, his bag secured across his body as he sent a text message to Linda about their date tomorrow night. He smiled as he sent the message with a heart emoji, knowing that it was dorky, but he couldn’t help it. He was head over heels in love with the new woman in his life.

Using his key, he opened the front door as a man jogged up the steps behind him. “Hold the door!” he said.

“Hey, do you live in this building?” Wally asked suspiciously as he sized by the tall stranger.

“No, I’m actually here to see Diana,” he told him. “I’m a close friend of hers from Greece.”

“I thought so,” Wally said with a grin. “I could tell by your accent that you came from the same place as Diana.”

“She told me to have Wally West let me into the building,” he revealed. “I’m supposed to wait for her in her apartment.”

“Hmmm…she must have forgotten to tell me,” he thoughtfully replied. “Of course, I haven’t seen her the last couple of days. Been kinda busy lately with my new girlfriend. Come on in.”

“Thank you,” the man responded with his thick accent.

“What’s your name?”

“Andras,” he replied, shaking Wally’s hand.

“Diana is going to be so excited to see you,” Wally told him.

“You have no idea,” Andras said with a smirk as he followed Wally into the elevator.

“So, what is it that you do for work?”

“I’m in the importing and exporting business,” Andras informed him.

“Really?” Wally said. “That sounds fascinating.”

“It’s steady work,” he admitted as the elevator reached their floor, the doors sliding open.

“I’m sure it is,” Wally agreed as they came to a stop before Diana’s apartment. “Well, I hope you have a great time with Diana. She’s such a sweet person.”

“Yes, she is,” Andras stated with an edge to his voice as Wally continued on to his own apartment.

“It was nice meeting you,” Wally said over his shoulder, stopping before his own apartment door. He glanced at Andras out of the corner of his eye to make sure that he was telling the truth.

Andras produced a key, inserting it into the lock and opening the door. He turned to look at Wally with a smirk as he pulled his key out. Wally nodded at him before entering his own apartment. He was going to have to keep an eye on him. There was something about Diana’s friend that didn’t sit quite right with him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Andras closed the door behind him, locking it. A wicked smile spread across his face as he surveyed Diana’s loft apartment. “You really thought you could escape me?” he murmured to himself.

He slowly made his way around her apartment, drinking in every single aspect of it. Everything was so Diana in every single way, her style and taste in decorating not changing in the least since he’d first met her…first fell in love with her.

He picked up a photo of her and Bruce together, his nostrils flaring with rage as he threw the picture frame across the room. It shattered against the wall, bits of glass skittering across the floor. Bruce Wayne was as good as dead for touching his girlfriend. 

He was more than eager to get his hands-on Wayne, making him pay as dearly as Diana was about to. No one left him…spurned him or turned him away like he was worthless and got away with it. He had no idea how she was still alive. She should have died in that house fire.

This time he was going to make sure she was really dead before he left.

It had taken him some time, but he had found her and now that he had, he was going to take his time with her before finally ending her life. She would understand what it meant to belong to him in every way. It was an importantlesson he should have taught her years ago.

He wandered into her bathroom, looking through her things before finding his way into her bedroom. He stopped before her bed, remembering the times that she had spent in his bed. Having her…possessing her had made his world complete.

And then she had turned on him, refusing to listen to his reasons for having to eliminate her family. Not only had he been ordered to by his boss, but it had also freed her to fully focus on him. It left her with no more distractions, no more ties to concern herself with. There would only be him and her.

He picked up her pillow, holding it to his nose and inhaling deeply. Her scent permeated every single part of him, bringing back memories of her scent on his shirt and on his sheets. She never should have turned on him, never should have tried to carve him out of her life.

She belonged solely to him and no one else. Bruce Wayne would learn that the hard way. The thought of that man touching his Diana…making love to her…caused a fury to burn so hotly inside of him. His chest began to heave, his heart hammering beneath his breastbone.

They would both burn before all was said and done.

XXX

Diana got out of the tub, feeling better after a hot bath. She took her time drying off, applying her favorite lotion before slipping her silk bathrobe on. She ran her fingers through her wet hair as she opened the bathroom door, finding Bruce sitting on the bed.

“You weren’t waiting for me, were you?” she asked.

“I just came up to check on you,” he replied. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, thank you,” she said as she drew close to him, coming to stand between his parted legs.

His hands immediately moved to her waist, pulling her closer to him. He hummed softly as he inhaled her scent that always seemed to turn him on. “Please, don’t go back to the museum tomorrow,” he softly pleaded.

She gently ran her fingers through his hair as he pressed his forehead against her abdomen. “You know I can’t stay away from my work,” she pointed out.

“He’s going to come for you, Diana,” he reminded her. “I want to make it as difficult for him as possible.”

“I know, but I won’t let him dictate my life,” she told him. “He did that to me once and I lost who I was because of that. I don’t want to lose myself again. I’m finally truly happy for the first time in a long time.”

“I know,” he relented, his fingers finding the ties of her silk robe, allowing it to fall open to give him a full view of her.

His hands slipped inside her robe to touch her soft, warm skin. He gently planted kisses along her abdomen, earning a throaty moan as her hands came to rest on the back of his head. She began to grow dizzy with the pleasure that pulsated through her body as he kissed every inch of her torso.

Warmth pooled in her pelvis as she began to unbutton his dress shirt, needing to feel his skin against hers. He made her feel special, complete, and so incredibly beautiful inside and out. No one had made her feel quite like this before. The way that he always looked at her made her melt every time.

Just as she was about to lose herself in the man that she loved, her cell phone rang. Bruce looked up at her with overt annoyance in his eyes. “Don’t answer that,” he told her, his voice husky with arousal.

She glanced over at her cell phone lying on the bedside table. It was Wally calling her. “I should answer that,” she said. “It’s Wally.”

“What could he want?”

“I don’t know, but I haven’t been at my apartment in a few days,” she replied. “I should see if there’s a problem.”

“Fine, but make it quick,” he said. “I need you.”

“I will as long as you lose those clothes,” she flirted, picking up her phone. “Wally, how are you?”

“Hey, Di,” he responded. “I just wanted to let you know that your friend Andras from Greece is here. He’s waiting in your apartment for you. Just wanted to make sure it’s legit. He had a key so I thought it was okay.”

Stunned, Diana could barely form a response, her heart racing. “Okay…thanks,” she softly said, ending the call without another word.

“Diana, what is it?” Bruce asked as he immediately stood to his feet.

“It’s Christian…he’s in my apartment,” she revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Starting Chp 4 of Take a Chance on Me! We're getting closer to posting it! :)


	13. Chapter 13

** Chapter 13 **

“I should be there,” Diana angrily snapped as she paced back and forth, arms folded against her chest. “It’s me that he wants. I just want to end this and the only way to do that is for me to face Christian.”

“There is no way that you are going to confront Christian at your apartment,” Bruce adamantly stated. “He wants you dead, Diana. You’d be walking right into his trap.”

“I want to face him and finish this once and for all,” she told him.

“That’s what he wants you to do, Diana,” Bruce said, leaping to his feet. “He’s already tried to kill you twice now. I’m not going to let him try again.”

“I know, but it’s me that he ultimately wants,” she stubbornly pressed the issue. “If I meet with him, then he’ll leave you out of this.”

“And take your life in the end,” he nearly yelled, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders. “I’m not about to let you sacrifice yourself for me.”

“I just want to finally be free from him,” she ground out in frustration. “I’m tired of looking over my shoulder, constantly waiting and wondering when he’s going to show up next. I feel like he’s following me everywhere I go. There’s this shadow that is always with me. I can’t keep living like this, Bruce. I won’t live in fear and I won’t live my life in hiding.”

Bruce’s hands slid down her arms, taking her hands in his. “I understand how you feel,” he gently said. “I don’t want you to live that way either, but getting you is what he wants most. We can’t let him have what he wants. Let’s see what Dick and Roy find out when they return and then we’ll make decisions from there together…one that won’t put your life at any more risk than it already is.”

Diana wrapped her arms around him, burying herself in his chest. “I’m so sorry I got you into all of this,” she murmured against his throat. “I just want it all to be over. I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

“Don’t,” he responded, kissing the top of her head. “We’ve already been through this and it’s not your fault.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but I saved dinner if you would like to try to eat something,” Alfred announced from the doorway. “I can warm it up for you.”

“Come on,” Bruce urged her. “Let’s go eat a little something. We should hopefully hear from Roy and Dick soon.”

“I hope so,” she replied. “They’ve been gone for hours.”

Walking into the kitchen, Alfred made up two plates, setting them on the table for each of them. “I’m sure everything will work out, Miss Diana,” the British butler reassured her. “They’re probably taking that monster to jail as we speak.”

“I hope you’re right,” she said with a sigh as she picked up her fork, poking at her dinner.

“Let’s talk about our vacation we’re going to take,” Bruce suggested. “Where would you like to go? Someplace warm or cold?”

“Anywhere sounds good right about now…even Metropolis.”

Bruce chuckled with her response. “Is there some place that you’ve always wanted to see?” he asked. “You name the place and that’s where we’ll go.”

“This shouldn’t be solely about me,” she insisted, pursing her lips as her eyebrows furrowed. “You’ve had a rough time of it lately too with Natalie harassing you, demanding another paternity test. Besides, I’m sure you’ve travelled far more than I have. Where is your favorite place to go?”

“It would probably be Fiji or Cabo San Lucas,” he revealed. “Both places are absolutely beautiful. Then again, so is the French Riviera.”

“Any of it sounds amazing,” she replied with the first true smile that he’d seen since Wally’s phone call.

“All right,” he told her with a nod. “I’ll start making plans for us to go to Fiji. If you decide you don’t like it, we’ll just move on to some other place.”

“I’ll have to check with the museum to see when I can get some time off,” she reminded him. “We’ve been quite busy lately with the new arrival of artifacts.”

“After what you’ve been through, I’m positive Walter Clements will let you have any time off you need,” he replied. “You’re very valuable to him and the museum.”

Diana looked up as Roy and Dick entered the kitchen at that moment, neither appearing overly enthusiastic at that moment. “Did you find Christian?” she asked, her heart in her throat.

They both dropped into chairs at the table with Bruce and Diana, Dick leaning forward to hold his head in his hands. “I’m sorry Diana, but he was gone by the time we got there,” he revealed, his tone filled with regret.

Roy slammed his fist on top of the table causing the dishes on it to rattle. “We were so close,” he angrily ground out, flopping back in his chair with a huff.

Diana rubbed her arms in an effort to ward off the chill that had invaded her body, knowing he was still out there somewhere watching her…waiting for her. “What did he do to my apartment?” she softly asked.

“He rummaged through your things…ransacked it…tore your bed apart,” Roy revealed. “It looks like he took some of your lingerie.”

“A framed picture of you and Bruce was found shattered against a wall,” Dick continued. “Some flowers that Bruce had given you were smashed, and the vase was broken.”

“Dear me,” Alfred murmured under his breath as he set two more plates of food on the table for Roy and Dick.

“Thanks, Alfred,” Dick muttered. “We won’t stop until we’ve found him, Diana. I promise you that. If I didn’t already believe that this guy was psychotic after reading what he did to you in Greece, I am a firm believer now.”

“Oh, he did leave you a note,” Roy revealed pulling out his cell phone. “I couldn’t bring you the real note. It’s been taken as evidence, but I took a picture of it for you. Do you want to see it?”

Diana drew a deep breath, nodding her head as she reached across the table to take his phone. Bruce leaned in close to Diana, needing to see what the hitman had said to her. “Not even Bruce Wayne can keep you from me. You are mine,” Diana read out loud, staring at the screen as fear crawled up her spine.

She handed the phone back to Roy before wrapping her arms around herself. “That’s Christian’s handwriting,” she confirmed, a thought suddenly occurring to her that horrified her. “Is Wally all right? Please tell me he didn’t hurt Wally.”

“No,” Dick verified with a shake of his head. “Wally came over to see what was going on after we showed up. He was more worried about you. He was really afraid for you.”

“I’ll have to let him know that I’m all right and to thank him for telling me about Christian being there,” she said.

“Wally said that the man used the name Andras and said that he was a friend of yours visiting from Greece,” Dick continued.

Diana nodded in recognition. “Andras is Christian’s middle name.”

“I remembered that from the searches I did on him,” Dick replied. “Wally said that Christian had a key to your apartment. He acted like he knew what he was doing, but Wally felt the whole thing was a little off. He knew you would have texted him or let him know that there would be someone in your apartment if you weren’t there to meet him.”

Diana visibly shivered with the revelation. “How was he able to do that?” she demanded to know, her anger igniting with her ex’s audacity to interfere in her life. “How could he get a key to my apartment? I never gave anyone a key to my apartment…not even Wally or Bruce.”

“We’re still working on that, but I believe that he may have bribed the maintenance man at your apartment building to get him a key to your apartment,” Roy told her. “Officers are tracking down the maintenance man now to interrogate him.”

“He’s getting bolder,” Bruce snapped. “We have to find him and stop him before he starts showing up in the museum or here.”

“We have a city-wide search on for him right now,” Roy assured him. “He won’t be able to go anywhere in Gotham that he won’t be spotted by one of our officers.”

“Has he changed his appearance any?” Bruce asked. “The last known picture of him showed him with black hair and a beard.”

“According to Wally, he now has blond hair and no facial hair, but he was quickly able to identify him from the photo we showed him,” Dick told them.

“I can’t believe this is happening all over again,” Diana murmured as she stared at her uneaten dinner. “I had hoped that I’d left all of this behind me when I left Greece and now, he’s here in Gotham.”

Bruce wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “It’ll be all right,” he attempted to assure her. “You have me and Alfred this time. We’re not going to let you go through this alone.”

“He’s right, Miss Diana,” Alfred agreed.

“And don’t forget us,” Roy added with a cheeky grin. “You can’t get rid of us that easily. We’re like a big happy family.”

“Not really,” Bruce muttered with a frown.

Diana smiled weakly. “Thank you,” she replied.

“For the time being, I think you both should stay here at the manor,” Dick stated. “It’s best that we keep you here and out of the public eye where he can more easily get to you. That means working from here.”

“All right,” Diana agreed with an argument as she stood from her seat. “If you’ll excuse me a moment.”

They watched as she left the kitchen, Bruce stunned by her reaction. “She didn’t even try to argue with you,” he commented.

“Yah, I thought it was going to be a knock-down, drag-out fight to get her to stay here,” Roy added.

Bruce scowled darkly as he sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. “He’s tormenting her…playing with her mind,” he snapped. “He’s trying to break her spirit before he can even get his hands on her.”

“Do you have a gun in the house?” Dick asked.

“I keep one in my nightstand by my bed,” he revealed. “I refuse to be a victim like my parents were.”

“Keep it loaded and with you at all times,” Dick instructed him. “I have a feeling you’re going to need it before this is all over with.”

“I hope he tries,” Bruce spat out as he got to his feet. “I’d love nothing more than to put a bullet in his head.”

“It may come down to that,” Dick murmured under his breath as he glanced at Roy.

XXX

Bruce found Diana standing before the fireplace in the library, her back to him as she seemed to be staring at nothing at all. He quietly closed the doors behind him, wanting to give them some privacy. He studied her for a long moment, drinking in the sight of her in a white dress that flowed to mid-thigh before finally making his way to her. She looked so small and fragile in that moment, so unlike the strong, independent woman that he’d come to know and love.

“I’m not even going to ask you if you’re okay,” he softly said as he came to a stop behind her, waiting for her to respond to him before making any further moves.

“I will be once he’s dead,” she replied, not turning around to face him. Her voice sounded dead even to her.

“You didn’t even argue with Dick about not going into the museum,” he pointed out. “It scares me, Diana. That’s not like you at all.”

“There’s no use fighting the inevitable,” she decided with an indifferent shrug.

Bruce gently turned her around to face him, the expression of defeat on her face chilling to his heart. “Please, Diana, don’t give up,” he pleaded with her. “If you give up, then Christian will win.”

“He has won, Bruce,” she told him. “He’s taken my life from me once again…not literally yet, but it’s almost the same thing. I can’t be in my apartment. I can’t go to work and do my job. I’m trapped.”

“It’s not the same as last time because you’re not going through it alone,” he reminded her again.

A sad smile adorned her face as she placed the palm of her hand on his chest. “I know…thank you for that,” she muttered. “He’s already destroyed my life, Bruce. I can’t standby while he does the same to you.”

“We love each other, Diana, and that’s something that Christian can’t take away from us no matter how hard he tries to. It’s something all our own that he can’t begin to touch.”

Her eyes seemed to brighten slightly with the reminder as Bruce took her hand and led her to the couch before the fireplace. He sat down first, gently pulling her down to sit on his lap. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, holding her in his protective embrace as he kissed her temple.

“I love you more than you can imagine, Diana Prince,” he murmured in her ear, his nose nuzzling her cheek. “I’m so much stronger with you than I am without you. You make me want to be a better man…a better everything for you. Losing you would be akin to losing myself so please promise me that you will fight just once more. Fight him for yourself…for us…and the future that I so desperately want to share with you.”

Diana immediately responded by turning her head, her lips crashing into his as her hands grasped the edge of his jaw. She kissed him with a fierce passion that spoke what her heart could not at that moment as she shifted her position to straddle his lap, her knees coming to rest on either side of his hips.

Bruce tilted his head back against the top of the couch, relishing the taste and the feel of her as his hands skimmed up the backs of her thighs before disappearing beneath her dress. His hands grasped her bottom, squeezing and kneading until she was grinding against him.

She kissed along his jaw to his ear, latching onto the lobe to nibble and suck on it. Her hands made quick work of his shirt, lifting it up over his head before tossing it behind her to land on the floor somewhere. She ran her hands over the chiseled expanse of his chest, tracing and exploring with hands and mouth.

Her dress quickly met the same fate as his shirt, her underclothes following before his jeans were pushed down past his hips. They made love slow and sweet and sensual…taking their time and reveling in the feel of being joined body, heart, and soul.

The intimacy was nearly unbearable in its intensity and vulnerability, the love being expressed nearly bringing her to tears. Being with Bruce like this was unlike anything she’d ever known before him, so unlike the domineering possessiveness that Christian had always displayed to her. She had believed that was the way love was supposed to be until she had met Bruce Wayne. He’d opened her eyes to what true love truly could be.

He kissed her deeply, his tongue a slow, sensual slide against hers that had her moaning until they both found completion within one another. Replete with the love they had made, Bruce just held her close for several minutes as she laid her head on his shoulder, her lips grazing along his throat.

She loved the feel of him still inside of her, not wanting to let him go any time soon as she sighed contentedly. Her fingers lightly ran over an old scar, one that she had somehow missed before. “What is this from?” she softly asked, not wanting to break the intimate moment, but her curiosity had won out.

He looked down as she ran the tip of her forefinger over the small scar that time had been unable to erase. “That was from when my parents were killed,” he revealed.

Diana sat up in shock, her hands cradling his face. “He shot you too?” she demanded to know, Bruce nodding his head in response. “Bruce, you were an eight-year-old boy and he shot you along with your parents? What kind of monster does something like that to parents let alone a little boy?”

“I’m afraid he did,” he confessed. “They didn’t think I was going to live at the time. I’d lost a lot of blood, but I somehow managed to survive. Alfred stayed at my bedside the entire time I was in the hospital. He never left my side. He encouraged me and kept my spirits up when I wanted to give up.”

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, leaning down and gently kissing the scar with a reverential love that caused tears to prick his eyes.

He ran his fingers through her raven hair before his hand settled on the back of her head. “Don’t be,” he replied. “It’s helped to make me who I am today. It was beyond difficult at the time trying to deal with the loss of my parents on top of being shot, but I feel that I’m stronger person for having endured it.”

“You are strong, Bruce,” she agreed, kissing along his nose before finding his mouth once more. “And I love who you are both inside and out.”

He buried his fingers in her hair, pulling her in for another kiss that rapidly intensified. This time sweet and comforting had become desperate and hungry, a passion that seared through their veins and branded them both as they began to show each other how much they loved one another.

“Stay with me, Diana,” Bruce requested with a gasp, capturing her lips again.

“I never…want to go back…to that apartment,” she managed to utter.

Elated, Bruce abruptly flipped her, laying her down on the couch. Hovering over her, he smiled down at her, brushing a raven curl from her face. “You never have to go back there, Diana,” he murmured, finding her lips once more as he made love to her.

XXX

Christian lifted his head, water trickling down his face and dripping from his clean-shaven jaw. He gazed at his new appearance in the mirror, running his fingers back through his red hair. His eyes narrowed as he slowly traced his eyebrows, down his nose and over his lips. All he needed was the colored contacts and a pair of glasses to complete his new look. Diana wouldn’t recognize him until it was far too late.

He couldn’t get the images of Diana’s apartment out of his head—the bed that she had doubt shared with that billionaire, the framed picture of the two of them, the roses that he’d found on her kitchen counter. She had moved on with another man, completely erasing him from her life as if she had never had feelings for him.

With a growl, he slammed his fist into the mirror, shattering it. He looked down at the blood dripping from his knuckles. A string of curses escaped as he grabbed a nearby towel, wrapping it around his bloody fist. She was going to pay for all of this…slowly and painfully while her precious boyfriend was forced to watch before he finally killed him too.

He was going to make her remember why she had fallen in love with him in the first place, claiming her again and making her his once more. He would take his time over several days, making her suffer more than she had before. If she thought what he had done to her before was horrifying, she hadn’t seen anything yet.

Grabbing another towel, he wiped the water from his face before tossing it on the floor. Walking out of the bathroom, he made his way towards the small table by the kitchen in his apartment. He slid into one of the chairs, turning his attention to the stack of pictures spread out on the table.

He reached for the bottle of whiskey on the table, drinking it straight from the bottle. He looked through each of them one by one, his rage bubbling hotly just beneath the surface. He picked up a picture he’d taken of Diana walking into the museum, another one of her walking out of a coffee shop with a drink in her hand. He tossed it aside before moving on to another stack of pictures.

This one was of Diana and Bruce at the farmer’s market holding hands. He held it up as he remembered that day. He swore that Diana had seen him in the crowd as he had followed them. He’d managed to step behind a tent at the last second, avoiding being fully noticed by her.

The next photo was of her holding a kitten. The look of adoration on Bruce’s face as he looked at Diana had nearly caused him to throttle the man right there in the middle of the famer’s market. It was only because he knew that he had to stick to his plan that he hadn’t given in to the temptation that had gripped him.

Christian ripped the photo in half, removing Bruce Wayne from the picture. He couldn’t wait until he could do it permanently. He grabbed a picture of Bruce and Diana dressed up for the ballet. He grabbed his lighter, setting the corner of the photo aflame. He watched with wicked grin as it burned up, tossing it into a bowl on the table before the flame could touch his fingers.

One by one the pictures went up in flame, his anger and jealousy burning hotter with each passing moment. He picked up the last picture, gazing intently at it. It was a picture of Diana holding an orchid that Bruce had left on the windshield of her car.

She looked breathtaking in the photo. The look of excitement of a new romance was more than evident in her face. He took his knife out, slowly dragging the sharp tip over her face and across her throat. “I’m going to carve you up for betraying me,” he hissed like a viper before throwing his knife across the room.

He watched as it imbedded itself deeply into the wall of his apartment. He decided he was going to make his move tonight. No one was going to keep him from Diana—not Bruce Wayne or Alfred Pennyworth, not Dick Grayson or Roy Harper. None of them were going to keep him getting what he wanted most.


	14. Chapter 14

** Chapter 14 **

***WARNING: STALKER ATTACK. THIS CHAPTER MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR SOME***

Diana entered the library with two cups of coffee, a slightly impish smile on her face as her gaze fell on the handsome man who had captured her heart. He was sitting on the couch, looking over some papers and brochures. He appeared so relaxed despite the dangers that were lurking in the shadows around them, waiting for the opportunity to take their lives.

Making her way towards him, she set the cups down on the coffee table before him before walking around to sit beside him. His arm immediately slipped around her shoulders, pulling her in to kiss her temple. “Thank you for the coffee,” he murmured.

She sighed contentedly as she curled up beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I guess it wasn’t so bad today,” she told him.

“What wasn’t so bad?”

“Working from the manor,” she clarified. “It was actually quite enjoyable.”

“Maybe you should do it more often.”

“The problem is that I need to be able to study the artifacts that come in,” she pointed out. “I need to clean and restore them. That’s not something I can do here at the manor.”

“We can always have the artifacts delivered here,” he suggested. “I can have one of the rooms converted into an office for you with all the tools and high-tech instruments that you would need. You could be set up better than you are at the museum.”

Diana sat up to gaze at him, clearly taken aback by his offer. “Are you serious?” she asked. “You would do that for me?”

“In a heartbeat,” he confirmed. “Just say the word and it’ll be done.”

She shook her head, her lips pursing in disagreement. “I couldn’t ask you to do that, Bruce. Do you realize how much that could cost?”

“And do you remember I’m a billionaire?” he countered. “Money is no concern to me.”

“I still couldn’t ask that of you,” she insisted. “I’m sure this will all be over soon, and we’ll be able to return to our work.”

Bruce took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. “I really liked sharing my office with you today,” he told her.

“I could tell,” she replied with a melodic laugh. “I think you spent more time focused on me than you did on your work.”

Bruce pretended to be shocked by her observation, his eyes widening. “That is not my fault,” he adamantly claimed. “If you weren’t so damn sexy, I wouldn’t have been so distracted. You didn’t have to wear such a short skirt in front of me you know.”

His hand moved to settle on her bare knee, lightly caressing up her thigh to the edge of her black skirt. She smiled at him, loving the feel of his hand on her skin. It always caused tingles to envelope her, leaving her anxiously anticipating more with him later.

“This, Miss Prince,” he seductively teased in a husky tone as he tilted his head to her ear, his fingers disappearing beneath the fabric of her skirt. “This is the reason I couldn’t focus today. All…your…fault.”

Diana visibly shivered with the feel of his warm breath against her ear, his fingers dangerously close to where she was becoming desperate to have him. “I don’t know what you mean,” she tried to tell him with an innocence that only served to arouse him once more.

“I’m sure you don’t,” he whispered, his lips finding her throat to kiss her softly only to abruptly pull away. “Tomorrow, I’m dressing you in a gunny sack that covers you from neck to toe.”

Diana giggled. “Wouldn’t that be itchy?”

“I’ll scratch your every itch for you,” he promised her.

“Hmmm…that sounds very enticing,” she throatily replied, kissing him deeply. “What are you working on now?”

“You kiss me like that and expect me to be able to think clearly?” he teased.

“You started it,” she reminded him, her hand finding his wrist and pulling his hand out from under the edge of her skirt.

“I was working on our vacation plans,” he revealed, picking up the brochures that showed pictures of a beautiful tropical beach. “This is Fiji.”

“That looks amazing,” she readily decided. “When can we go?”

“We can leave this weekend if you’d like,” he revealed.

“Let’s do it,” she excitedly agreed. “I’ll send Walt an email right now and let him know that I’ll be gone next week.”

“Let me know if he gives you any flak,” he told her.

“Walt will be fine with it,” she reassured him. “He texted me this morning to see how I was holding up. He told me I could take any time off that I needed.”

“Walt really is a great guy,” he said. “He can get a little obsessed with the museum sometimes, but that’s his job so I understand it.”

Both Bruce and Diana looked towards the window as thunder grumbled loudly, lightning streaking across the sky. “Looks like we’re in for some bad storms tonight,” he said, more to himself than his lover.

“I’ve always loved thunderstorms,” she admitted, snuggling up against him once more as she studied the pictures and information about Fiji.

“Really?”

“They fascinated me,” she explained. “It’s such a powerful combination of wind, thunder, lightning, and rain. I used to watch them from my bedroom window when I was younger. That was until my mother would drag me away. She was always so afraid I was going to be struck by lightning.”

Bruce couldn’t help but picture a young Diana with her little nose pressed to the glass, staring at the thunderstorm in awe and wonder. It endeared her even more to his heart. “I promise I won’t drag you away if you want to go watch the storm.”

“No, I’m good right here,” she replied, snuggling even more against him as she looked at the pictures. “I don’t want to move from this spot.”

He kissed the top of her head, inhaling her vanilla-jasmine scent that always stirred his need for her. He still had no idea how he’d been so fortunate to have her in his life, solely belonging to him and him to her, but he wasn’t about to question it.

They sat there reviewing their vacation plans and savoring the feel of being in each other’s arms as they listened to the sound of the rain pelting against the window. “We can do whatever you want while we’re there,” he told her. “If you just want to lay on the beach all day we can, or we can go sightseeing…parasailing…snorkling…whatever you want.”

“I’m happy doing anything as long as I’m with you,” she confessed.

He tilted his head, capturing her lips in a heated kiss. She moaned softly with the feel of his tongue sliding along hers, sucking gently on it and earning a groan from him. They were interrupted with the sound of the doorbell, forcing them apart.

“I’ll get it,” he volunteered, getting to his feet.

“Don’t, Bruce,” she urgently stated, grabbing his hand.

“It’ll be okay,” he reassured her, leaning over to kiss her once more.

Entering the hallway, Bruce was met by Alfred who was heading for the front door. “Stay out of sight,” Alfred ordered him.

“I’m not letting you open that door without backup,” Bruce told him.

“Where are Mister Grayson and Mister Harper?”

“They’re doing a perimeter search of the grounds,” Bruce revealed as his hand settled on the loaded gun that he kept on him.

Alfred frowned as he checked the peephole before opening the door. “Miss Natalie,” he icily stated. “You are well aware you are not welcome here. In fact, I believe you are breaking the law.”

“I just needed to talk to Bruce for a few minutes,” Natalie pleaded. “That’s all I want.”

“You said your peace the last time,” he reminded her. “Master Bruce has nothing more to say to you.”

Natalie put her hand on the heavy wooden door as Alfred tried to shut it, refusing to give up. “Please!” she cried as she shoved her way inside to find Bruce there in the foyer. “Bruce! Please, I just need you to give me a second chance.”

“You’ve had all the chances I’m going to give you, Natalie,” Bruce angrily stated. “I’ve moved on with Diana. You should move on too…focus on being a mother to Amelia instead of trying to get back together with me.”

“Is that Greek slut here?” Natalie spat out, jealous anger blazing in her eyes. “I have no idea what you see in her. I could do more for you than she could ever begin to.”

“You brought me nothing but heartache and deception,” he fired back. “I never really understood what love was until Diana. Now that I’ve found it, I’m not giving it up for anything in this world.”

“You’re making a mistake, Bruce,” she hissed. “You’re going to regret this.”

“I already do,” he stated, grabbing her by the elbow and escorting out onto the porch and back out into the rain. “You come back here again, and I’ll personally take you to the police.”

“Bruce!” she screamed. “You can’t do this to me! You love me not her!”

Ignoring her, Bruce went inside, slamming the door behind him before locking it once more. He turned to find Diana standing there a few feet away with arms folded against her chest. “Is this ever going to end?” she softly asked, slipping her arms around him as he closed the distance between them.

“I’m sorry,” Bruce said, drawing her closer. “I’ll call my lawyer tomorrow and press charges against her. He’ll take care of it permanently.”

“Our lives were real messes before we met each other, weren’t they?” she murmured against his throat.

“I guess we just needed to know what we didn’t want before finding what we truly needed,” he replied. “It makes me appreciate you that much more.”

“Me too,” she agreed, kissing him soundly.

Thunder cracked loudly overhead as the wind howled, causing the windows of the manor to rattle. “I’m worried about Roy and Dick being out in this storm,” she commented. “We should call them to come in.”

The power suddenly went out at that moment, leaving them standing in the dark. The only light was that of the lightning striking outside coming through a nearby window. “Great,” he mumbled. “Well, the backup generator should come on momentarily.”

Several moments went by before the generator kicked in. The lights flickered on, bathing them in light once more. “Thank goodness,” she murmured.

“Come; let’s go plan our vacation,” he suggested. “I’m thinking you should only pack a little red bikini because that’s all you’re going to need.”

‘Oh, really?” she asked with a laugh as they headed back to the library.

“Well, you’re going to be naked when you’re with me in our villa,” he explained with a smirk. “You’ll need the bikini for the beach. I think that covers everything.”

“What about when we go out for dinner and dancing?” she questioned him.

The lights abruptly went out again, the generator dying unexpectedly. “Great,” he muttered as they entered the library. “I’m going to have to go downstairs and see what’s wrong with the generator.”

“Bruce, I don’t like this,” she said, tightening her hold on his hand as fear invaded her heart.

He kissed her on the forehead before releasing her hand. “I promise I’ll be right back,” he assured her. “Just stay right here. Don’t go anywhere.”

Diana wrapped her arms around herself as she made her way towards the window. The thunderstorm rolled on even harder than before, the rain coming down in heavy torrents. She couldn’t help wondering where Roy and Dick were at. They were going to be cold and soaked to the bone.

She thought about going upstairs to get some towels and blankets to make sure they were ready when their bodyguards came back in. They could also use something hot to drink. Bruce had told her to stay here, but he hadn’t been thinking of the two men outside patrolling the grounds of the manor.

She decided she’d be quick about it, using her phone to guide her upstairs to get the towels and blankets. She turned as she pressed a couple of buttons on her phone, pulling up her flashlight app. She stopped short with a sharp gasp as she looked up to find a dark form in the room with her.

Lightning flashed brightly revealing the hulking form of Christian.

Diana froze in absolute fear, her chest suddenly tight as she stared at him in shock. Rain trickled down his face and dripped from his muscular frame, his dark gray eyes now green were wild with a rage that had been burning for far too long. His hair was red, a five o’clock shadow adorning his jaw.

In a word, he was terrifying…even more so than their last encounter in her parent’s house.

His lips spread into a sadistic grin that caused her to shiver involuntarily. Everything inside of her told her to run, but she knew. She knew all too well that there was no escaping Christian, not her and not anyone associated with her.

“What did you do to Dick and Roy?” she demanded to know, trying to ignore how difficult it was to breathe. There was a reason they hadn’t come in out of the storm yet and now she knew why.

“You know me too well, Diana,” he responded in that deep voice that she used to love, but now made her want to vomit.

“If you hurt them…”

“What?” he interrupted her. “What will you do?”

“Let them go, Christian,” she told him. “This is between you and me. The others don’t need to be involved.”

“Oh, you mean Alfred?” he questioned her. “He won’t be interfering.”

Diana took a step towards him, not sure what she would be able to do against him, but the thought of him hurting dear Alfred was almost more than she could bear. “I mean it, Christian,” she spat out. “Leave them out of this. It’s me you want, not them. They’re innocent.”

“Actually, it’s not just about you…not this time,” he told her, lifting the large hunting knife in his hand to reveal the blood that still stained it. “I’m going to skin Bruce Wayne alive and enjoy every single second of it. After that, I’m going to take my time with you.”

“Bruce isn’t here,” she tried to tell him.

Christian chuckled with her futile attempt. “I know he’s here,” he stated. “I’ve been watching you two all evening. I’m going to enjoy making him suffer for touching you.”

Diana watched in dread as Christian slowly strode towards her like every predator that she’d ever watched in every horror film, his green eyes boring straight into her with murderous intent. “You killed my family…you tortured me and tried to kill me,” she reminded him, refusing to back away from the monster before her. “What makes you think I’d ever want you back?”

Christian stopped before her, reaching out with his free hand to lightly run his fingers along her throat. “It’s not about you wanting me back, Diana,” he patiently said, pausing to drag his tongue along his upper lip. “It’s about taking back what rightfully belongs to me in the first place.”

Diana slapped his hand away from her, disgusted by feel of him touching her. “I don’t belong to you,” she angrily stated. “You don’t own me, and you never will.”

His lips curled as he stared her down, jealous obsession permeating his eyes. “You loved me once,” he reminded her, his tone surprisingly gentle. “I know you did. You told me so.”

“That wasn’t love,” she spat out in sheer hatred as she glowered darkly at him. “I didn’t know real love could exist until Bruce.”

She barely got Bruce’s name out before his fist connected with her face. She flew backwards, landing hard on the floor. The room was spinning wildly, the ability to breathe becoming more difficult. He was suddenly on top of her, pinning her to the floor with his body.

He slowly ran the length of his blade along her already bruising cheek. He paused to lick the trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth before kissing her hard. “Remember that?” he growled. “Remember me kissing you…making love to you?”

“That…wasn’t…love,” she managed to ground out between strangled gasps for air. “That was…control…and domination.”

Christian growled angrily, the sharp point of his knife pressing into her neck. “Maybe it’s high time that I reminded you how much you love me.”

“You can take my body…you try to break my spirit…but you…can never…have my heart,” she uttered, spitting in his face.

Christian wiped the spittle from his face, gritting his teeth in fury. He backhanded her hard, nearly knocking her out before ripping her top open. “You carry my scar, Diana,” he stated, digging the point of his knife into the scar as she screamed in pain. “You’ve been marked by me…a mark you’ll carry with you for as long as I say you live. I determine whether you live or die.”

“Get off her now or I’ll blow your head off.”

Christian froze with the unexpected sound of Bruce’s voice. He pulled his knife out before slowly getting to his feet. Diana squeezed her eyes closed against the flood of tears that came against her will. She quickly sat up, scooting away from him until her back hit the couch. Lightning flashed again, revealing the bleeding head wound Bruce had no doubt received from Christian.

“Turn around slowly,” Bruce ordered him with gun pointed straight at him, casting a fleeting glance at Diana sitting on the floor behind him. “Are you all right?”

Diana nodded her head, biting at her bottom lip. “Yes,” she murmured, unable to speak further.

“Are you really man enough to use that gun?” Christian asked in his thick Greek accent as he turned around with his knife gripped tightly in his right hand.

“I guess we’ll find out if you’re stupid enough to try something,” Bruce ground out, the blinding rage coursing through his veins nearly causing him to tremble.

“I’ll have to hand it to you,” Christian said. “I didn’t expect for you to wake up for at least another hour or two, but I’m glad you’re here. You can watch while me and Diana have a little lovers’ reunion.”

“You’re never going to touch her again,” Bruce hissed.

Diana breathed heavily, blood running down her chest from the scar that he’d opened back up. She felt lightheaded as she watched the man that she loved with all her heart face off against the man she loathed. She just prayed they made it out of this alive.

She needed to find Alfred and make sure that he was all right. She needed to know that Roy and Dick were still alive. She needed to get Bruce medical attention for his head wound. She needed to make sure the people she cared about survived this night. If any of them died because of her, she’d never forgive herself.

“Drop the knife,” Bruce demanded.

Christian didn’t immediately obey the command, sizing up his opponent once more. “I have no idea what Diana sees in you,” he uttered with disdain. “You’re nothing compared to me.”

The corner of Bruce’s lips quirked in amusement, blood still trickling down the side of his head. “You’re pathetic,” he bit out. “You terrorize and torture the woman you supposedly love, nearly killing her and you call yourself a man? You are no man. You’re nothing but a pitiful excuse for a human being.”

Christian roared in rage, racing towards Bruce who fired his gun. The bullet pierced Christian’s shoulder as he barreled headlong into Bruce, knocking him to the floor. The gun dropped from Bruce’s hand, sliding across the floor and coming to a stop under an end table.

Bruce immediately slammed his fist into Christian’s face, causing his head to fly back as they rolled across the floor. Each of them tried to get the upper hand as they fought, Christian hitting Bruce in the face, dazing him. Gaining the upper hand, Christian pinned him to the floor, raising his knife over his head.

“I’m going to make you curse the day you ever took Diana to your bed!” he yelled.

“Let him go!”

Christian turned to find Diana standing behind him with Bruce’s gun pointed directly at him, a sneer on her bruised face. He began to laugh as he got up off Bruce, his knife still clutched in his hand. “You aren’t going to shoot me,” he spat out as he took a threatening step towards her. “You love me, Diana. You love the fact that I came all the way from Greece for you…that I went to all this trouble just for you.”

“Stop,” she ground out.

“You won’t shoot me,” he seethed as he took another step.

Diana fired, the bullet imbedding itself deep in his side. “That was a warning shot,” she stated. “The next won’t be.”

He screamed in rage at the burning pain in his side, blood oozing from the wound. “I’m going to make you regret ever meeting me,” he said as he stalked towards her.

“I already do,” she stated, shooting him in the chest.

Christian’s eyes went wide in disbelief as the bullet hit his chest. He looked down at the blood seeping through his shirt, dumbfounded by the fact that she had actually just shot him. He raised his arm, ready to throw his knife at her only to be shot five times in the back.

He dropped dead, revealing a dripping wet Dick Grayson standing in the doorway behind him with gun pointed at the spot where Christian had just been. He was breathing heavily, his shirt bloody from where he’d been stabbed. Diana couldn’t stop shaking as the generator finally kicked in, lights flooding the room once more to reveal the carnage.

“It’s okay, Diana,” Dick gently told her as he holstered his weapon. “It’s over.”

He slowly made his way towards her, seeing the shock that she was in as she held the gun tightly in her hands. He gently forced her to release the gun, taking it from her and setting it aside. Her bottom lip began to quiver as tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

“Bruce…” she murmured, running over to him.

Bruce staggered towards her, catching one another in a frantic embrace. They held one another tightly as Dick made a phone call, kicking Christian’s knife several feet away from his body as Roy stumbled into the room looking about as bad as Dick at that moment.

Both were soaked to the bone, bleeding from wounds inflicted by Christian. “Where’s Alfred?” Diana frantically asked. “We have to find Alfred.”

“He’s going to be okay,” Roy reassured her. “Christian knocked him out and tied him up in the kitchen. He’s a little shaken up, but he’s fine. I asked him to stay in the kitchen until I knew had Christian secured.”

“It’s over, Diana,” Bruce told her, gently caressing her bruised cheek. “It’s finally over. You’ll never have to deal with him ever again.”

“I can’t believe it,” she whispered, cradling his face in her hands. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “I’m just relieved that you’re all right. I was so scared he was going to kill you.”

“No, I have too much to live for now,” she softly replied, pressing her lips to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *WHEW!* No more Christian! One more chapter to go to wrap this up. PLEASE let me know if you want a sequel to this one or a different AU Bruce & Diana fic. Also, going to start posting Take a Chance On Me next week! :)


	15. Chapter 15

** Chapter 15 **

“Come on,” Bruce tried to coax her, taking her by the hand as he led her out of their villa and onto their private patio.

Diana chuckled at his enthusiasm, wondering what had gotten into him. “What are you so anxious about?”

“I want to go for a walk on the beach,” he replied, tightening his hold on her hand.

“Bruce, we just got here,” she pointed out. “I think we have plenty of time to take walks on the beach.”

“I know, but I’m anxious to show you the sun set,” he insisted. “It’s beautiful.”

Diana glanced at him, knowing he was up to something, but she had no idea what that was just yet. “I’m not sure I should be seen outside,” she decided, ducking her head slightly. “Everyone is going to think I was involved in a UFC fight and lost badly.”

“You look beautiful,” he reassured her. “Besides, no one if even going to notice the bruises on your face.”

“Did you see the looks we got just walking through the airport yesterday?” she reminded him. “I’m surprised no one called the police for spousal abuse or something.”

“Well, we do make a very handsome couple,” he teased her.

“You don’t look much better,” she pointed out with a laugh. “The side of her face is one large bruise.”

Bruce couldn’t help laughing with her as he led her out onto their private beach. “We look like we were the victims of a horrible farming accident.”

Her expression grew serious as she reached up to run her fingers along the curve of his face. “I never could’ve gotten through this without you,” she softly said. “Thank you for not leaving me.”

He took her hand, kissing her knuckles. “I never will,” he promised her. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling with the love she felt for him. “There’s no one else in the world that I’d rather be stuck with than you.”

He brought their joined hands to his lips, kissing the back of her hand. It was absolutely beautiful on the beach with the sun beginning to set in the distance and the sound of the ocean waves as their backdrop. He’d never known such utter peace and happiness until her.

He couldn’t help staring at her as the wind caused the ends of her raven hair to whip, the fading rays of sunlight casting a warm glow about her. He didn’t know how he’d been so fortunate to have won her heart, but he was determined to do everything in his power to keep it.

Bruce abruptly stopped, turning to take both of her hands in his. “Diana, I wanted to bring you out here because I wanted to ask you something,” he began, an air of nervousness suddenly consuming him.

Diana gasped softly as he dropped to one knee, tears instantly blurring her vision as he pulled a small velvet box out of his pants’ pocket. It felt as though her heart was about to beat right through her breastbone as he opened the box.

“Diana, I know we haven’t been together for very long, but I know with every fiber of my being that I love you,” he swore to her. “There is no one else in the world that I would ever want in my life except for you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes,” she murmured as tears trickled down her cheeks. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“You will?” he asked, stunned. He’d been so afraid that she would feel that he was pushing her or moving too fast in their relationship, but he’d never been more certain of anything in his entire life.

“I would love to be your wife,” she confirmed as she gazed down at him.

Standing to his feet, Bruce took the ring from the box, slipping the large diamond ring surrounded by rubies onto her finger. “If you don’t like the ring, I can get you something else.”

“Shhh…” she shushed him, kissing him deeply. “You worry far too much. I love it and I love you.”

“I was so worried you were going to say no,” he confessed, his forehead coming to rest against hers.

“Why is that?” she asked, confused.

“I didn’t want you to feel as though I was pushing you into something you weren’t ready for…especially after everything that we’ve been through,” he admitted.

“What we’ve just been through only further cemented in my mind that I’m where I should be and with who I want to spend my life with,” she assured him, her arms slipping around his neck as she pulled him down into a knee-bending kiss.

Smiling against her lips, Bruce bent over and picked her up, wrapping her long legs around his waist before carrying her back into their villa. He was single-minded in his intentions to give her a passionate night that neither of them would ever forget.

XXX

Diana’s lips curved into a sleepy smile with the ocean breeze that brushed across her bare back. She readily decided that this was the best way to wake up in the morning—an ocean breeze and a nude Bruce Wayne…her fiancé…lying next to her in bed. 

She sighed contentedly as she finally opened her eyes to find Bruce’s side of the bed empty. She groaned as she turned over, her body sore and tired but in the best way possible. He was an insatiable lover and she couldn’t have been happier about it since she found she couldn’t get enough of him either.

“Good morning,” Bruce greeted her as he entered the bedroom with two cups of coffee.

She grinned up at him, gazing longingly at his gloriously naked body. She slowly raked her teeth over her bottom lip as she leaned over to take the cup of coffee from him. He smirked at her appreciating stare that lasted far longer than necessary as he settled on his side of the bed with his own cup of much needed caffeine.

“Good morning,” she replied, studying him over the lip of her cup.

“I know that look,” he said with a chuckle. “Didn’t I pay enough attention to you last night?”

“It was amazing, but I’m always up for more when it comes to you,” she flirted, taking a sip before setting her cup aside.

Setting his cup down as well, Bruce turned to her, his lips meeting her in a gentle kiss. His fingers tenderly caressed the bruises that still adorned her face. Somehow, she still managed to take his breath away despite the reminders of a horrifying night neither would forget for an exceedingly long time.

She was still having pretty bad nightmares even a week and a half later, but he was always there to hold her securely and soothe her until she was able to fall back asleep. She had been embarrassed about the nightmares that first night, telling him that she was going to sleep in the guest room.

He had adamantly refused such a notion, immediately shutting that suggestion down. He’d insisted that she stay in his bed with him so he could watch over her while she slept. It had taken some convincing and a little arguing, but she had reluctantly agreed. 

Bruce kissed her with a hunger that was quickly reigniting, a flame that hadn’t dimmed in the least despite the passionate night they’d spent together. They were engaged to be married, Diana his fiancé. The thought was an amazing dream that was actually a reality now…a reality that he was still having difficulty grasping.

He suddenly scooped her up in his arms with a squeal of surprise from her before carrying her into the bathroom. “What are you doing?” she asked as he finally set her down.

“Well, I’m pretty sure we could both use a shower after the sex-filled night we just had celebrating our engagement,” he told her as he reached in and turned the shower on.

“So, we should shower together?” she questioned him.

“Water conversation…it’s a very high priority for me,” he tried to tell her, his lips finding hers. “Besides, I’ve wanted to have you in the shower for a while now and this seems like the perfect opportunity.”

“Oh, really?” she asked, a raven eyebrow cocking in question and an amused smirk on her lips. She pressed her body against his as she nuzzled his throat with her lips. “And what other things have you been thinking about doing with me?”

The throaty tone of her voice only served to heat his blood even more. He leaned down and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist before entering the shower. He crushed his lips to hers in a heated kiss as he pressed her back up against the shower wall, more than eager to have his way with her again.

After spending over an hour in the shower, they finally found their way out of their villa, more than ready for breakfast with the appetites that they’d worked up for themselves with all their vigorous activity. They walked hand in hand to a little café down the street from their villa, thankful that it wasn’t very crowded.

Diana was grateful they were seated at an outdoor table where she could keep her sunglasses on without looking ridiculous. “We probably should’ve waited to go to Fiji until after our bruises healed,” she pointed out as she adjusted her sunglasses.

“Nonsense,” he told her. “It was the perfect time to go. Alfred is having the entire library redecorated with new carpet and paint on the walls. It’ll look like a completely different room when we get back.”

“That’s true,” she reluctantly agreed, visibly shuddering with the reminder of that horrible night. “Please forgive me if I don’t go into that room for a while when we get back.”

Bruce reached across the table, taking her hand in his. “What did you want to do with your loft apartment?” he asked her.

“I can’t go back there knowing he was in there,” she readily responded. “There’s no telling what else he did in there or what he did to my things.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know how much that apartment meant to you…meant to your independence.”

“It did, but I’m ready to move…to make a new life with you,” she reassured him with a warm smile. “I’m sure Wally is going to be devastated though.”

“Wally can come visit you any time he wants to,” Bruce said, kissing her sweetly.

She kissed him back, savoring the taste of him on her tongue. “What about my things?”

“Whatever you don’t want, we’ll donate to charity,” he suggested. “I can have the rest of your things packed up and moved to the manor for you to go through when you’re ready.”

She rested her forehead against his cheek, her heart feeling lighter than it had in years. “You are an amazing man, Bruce Wayne. I’m incredibly lucky to have found you.”

“I’m just glad Alfred forced me to go to that museum benefit that introduced you to Gotham,” he revealed.

Diana sat back in disbelief. “You weren’t going to come?”

Bruce had the decency to appear sheepish as he reached for his cup of coffee. “To be honest, I didn’t want to, but Alfred reminded me how the museum was a dearly loved charity of my mother’s,” he told her. “He assured me that I would be pleased to meet the newly arrived Greek curator, but I was quite skeptical.”

Diana giggled as their breakfast was served. “You thought I was one of those mousy little museum nerds, plain looking with my hair up in a tight bun and dark rimmed glasses, didn’t you?”

Bruce averted his eyes, trying not to laugh at the image that had popped into his mind that day that Alfred had reminded him of the event. What she had just described was exactly what he had pictured, and it wasn’t a very lovely depiction of her. In fact, it had been the very opposite of what he had discovered that fateful night.

“You were definitely not like that,” he confessed, meeting her gaze with open honesty and love. “You were the most beautiful woman that I’d ever seen in my entire life. In that moment, I just knew that I had to know everything about you.”

“That’s so sweet, Bruce,” she said.

“What did you think when you first met me?” he asked.

Diana felt her cheeks grow warm as she dipped her head. “I don’t know if I should say,” she nervously replied, her gaze falling on her engagement ring.

“Come on,” he attempted to coax her. “It can’t be that bad.”

Diana laughed as she tried to hide her grin behind her coffee cup. “You don’t know that, Bruce.”

“Diana, you won’t hurt my feelings because you’re mine now…we’re engaged,” he reminded her. “And you definitely can’t embarrass me because the press has already had a field day doing that over the past several years.”

“Fine,” she relented with a sigh as Bruce took her coffee cup from her so she couldn’t hide behind it only to discover her face was flushed pink. “I thought you were very handsome, but that you were quite arrogant and conceited. I thought you were stuck on yourself.”

Bruce chuckled at her confession. “Arrogant and conceited?” he questioned her. “I guess I can handle that now that you’ve agreed to marry me.”

“It was just my first impression of you,” she defended herself in her thick Greek accent. “I’d heard about your reputation as a player, so I was a little wary of you, but you proved me wrong on our very first date.”

“Well, I’m glad that you gave me a chance to show you that I’m not like that.”

“I’m glad I decided to trust my instincts and not the gossip I’d heard about you.”

“I’m more than happy about that.”

“Not to ruin the moment, but have you heard any more news about Natalie?” she asked, wary about what his answer would be.

“I spoke with my lawyer yesterday before we left for Fiji,” he revealed. “Natalie is officially in jail for the time being, so we don’t have to worry about her showing up here on our vacation.”

“Thank goodness for that,” she murmured.

“She’s being charged with breaking the restraining order twice,” he continued. “She could be in jail for up to three years.”

“That would be nice, but my heart breaks for her baby girl,” she said with a sad shake of her head. “Little Amelia doesn’t deserve that kind of life. She deserves a normal family home.”

“I know,” he agreed, knowing that even though Amelia wasn’t his, she hadn’t been far from his thoughts. “I’ve asked my lawyer to look into who will be taking care of her. I don’t want her to end up in foster care or an orphanage. I have no idea who her father is, and I doubt Natalie even knows.”

Bruce could tell by the look on Diana’s face that she was thinking about something. The way her forehead creased, and her eyebrows furrowed a telltale sign that he’d picked up on from the very beginning. He took her hand in an effort to recapture her attention.

“Hey…what are you thinking?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she tried to tell him with a shake of her head. “It’s ridiculous.”

“Whatever it is, I assure you it’s not ridiculous,” he assured her. “Please, tell me. I want you to feel as though you can talk to me about anything.”

“I know…I do feel that way, but this just seems outrageous after everything we’ve already been through,” she replied. “I was just thinking that maybe we should take Amelia in.”

Bruce’s lips spread into a huge grin. “I’ve had the very same thought,” he divulged. “I was just worried that you wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her after all that Natalie has done.”

“Even if Natalie is her mother, I hold no ill feelings towards Amelia,” she promised him. “She’s an innocent little baby caught in the middle of this whole thing. It’s not her fault her mother has issues.”

“Issues?” Bruce said with a chuckle. “I think that’s putting it mildly. The woman is crazy.”

“You’re the one who was engaged to her,” she pointed out with a chuckle.

“I was blinded by what I thought was love,” he claimed. “Turns out I didn’t know love until I met you.”

Diana kissed him, brushing her nose against his. “Do you really think we could handle a baby?”

“Together I think we can do anything we want.”

“Alfred would have to take care of her during the day while we’re at work or we’d have to hire a nanny.”

“Are you kidding?” he questioned her. “Alfred would be over the moon having a baby in the manor. He’s been hounding me for years to get married and have some children.”

Bruce’s cell phone rang at that moment, answering it to find it was Dick. Diana watched as shock replaced his relaxed demeanor, making her wonder what in the world was happening back home. Christian was dead and Natalie was in jail. What more could possibly be happening?

“Thank you for the update, Dick,” Bruce said. “Okay, I’ll see you when we return in a few days. Thanks for calling. Bye.”

“Bruce, what is it?” she asked. “What did Dick want?”

“Dick called to let us know that he uncovered some new information,” he informed her.

“About what?”

“Dick and Roy found out that Christian wasn’t behind the attack on me outside of Wayne Enterprises,” he told her. “It was Natalie. She hired some guy to shoot me so that she could work her way back into my life and nurse me back to health.”

“Oh, my word,” she murmured, stunned by the news.

“She’ll be going away for at least twenty-five to thirty years,” he informed her. “Depending on the judge, she might never see the light of day.”

Diana placed her hand on his forearm, squeezing it. “Bruce, please, we have to take Amelia in,” she pleaded with tears forming in her eyes. “I can’t bear the thought of that precious baby bouncing from foster home to foster home only to end up just like her mother someday. I know what it’s like to be alone and I don’t want that for her. She needs a good home…a stable home where she will be loved and—”

“Does this mean you want to adopt Amelia?” he interrupted her with a crooked grin.

“I guess it does,” she confessed with a nod. “She needs good parents and I think we could be that for her.”

His lips claimed hers in a heated rush, his tongue finding hers in a slow, sensual caress. “I think it sounds perfect,” he softly said. “What do you say we continue this discussion back in our villa?”

“I think that’s a great idea,” she readily agreed with a grin.

XXX

Diana entered through the front doors of Wayne Manor with a sleeping seven-month-old in her arms, wrapped securely in a pink and white plaid blanket. The baby instinctively snuggled closer to Diana with a sigh of contentment, her blue eyes momentarily fluttering open to close once more.

She could hardly believe that Amelia was truly theirs, the papers officially signed this morning making them Amelia’s parents. After everything that she’d endured in her life, she’d never dreamed that it would turn out so perfect after moving from Greece to Gotham.

“Are you going to let me hold her?” Bruce quietly asked as he followed behind her, not wanting to wake the baby up.

“Fine,” she relented, carefully handing their daughter over to him.

His smile couldn’t have been any bigger as he held her close. Despite not being flesh and blood, Amelia was theirs. She was a Wayne now, and nothing could ever change that or take her away from them. Bruce and his lawyer had made certain of that.

“How were you able to get Natalie to give up her rights to Amelia?” Diana asked as she set her purse down.

“My lawyer offered her a deal that she couldn’t refuse,” he simply stated as they walked into the entertainment room. “She could stay in jail for the rest of her life or she could give up her rights to Natalie and be out of jail in twenty-five years. She jumped at the chance at freedom in twenty-five years over keeping her daughter.”

Diana sadly shook her head as she wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes momentarily falling closed with the sorrow that invaded her heart. “I can’t imagine being so willing to give up my rights to my child just to save myself,” she replied, sitting down next to him on the couch and leaning against his shoulder.

“That’s Natalie, though,” he tried to explain. “She only cares about herself. Amelia was nothing more than a pawn to her, a means to try to force me to come back to her.”

“I can’t imagine being so cold and emotionless,” she uttered with a frown as she reached over to gently caress Amelia’s chestnut brown hair. “How could anyone not fall in love with this beautiful little girl?”

“I don’t know, but she’s ours now and Natalie can never take her away,” he promised her. “She also had to sign a contract stating that she would never return to Gotham after her release and that she was not allowed to contact her daughter or us. If she breaks any of the rules, she goes right back to jail.”

“I can’t believe we’re finally free,” she replied with a gentle smile as she watched Bruce with their daughter. “We’re free to have the life that we’ve always wanted.”

“The only thing left to do is to make us official,” he reminded her.

“Next month,” she assured him. “Next month, we’ll be husband and wife.”

“I can’t wait,” he murmured, kissing her.

“Me too,” she agreed with a sigh as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Ah, there is my little granddaughter,” Alfred cooed as he entered the room. “I’ve been so anxious to finally hold her.”

“I guess I can share her for a little while,” Bruce conceded.

He reluctantly handed her over to Alfred who settled into a chair with his granddaughter. “My, she’s positively beautiful,” he admired. “You’re going to have your hands full when she becomes a teenager. The boys will be knocking the front door down.”

Bruce groaned with the thought. “Don’t even go there yet,” he grumbled with a scowl.

“That’s why he asked Dick to be Amelia’s godfather,” Diana revealed with a chuckle. “He figured if her godfather was a cop then the boys would be leery about asking her out.”

“I hear that he and Dr. Zatara have become quite serious over the last few weeks,” Alfred divulged. “Maybe we’ll have a double wedding next month.”

“I don’t think it’ll happen that soon,” Bruce replied.

“Hmmm…seems to me someone is a little wet,” Alfred observed as he patted her bottom.

“I’ll change her,” Bruce and Diana said in unison as they both leapt to their feet.

“I believe I shall change her,” Alfred adamantly stated. “I am her grandfather after all. Besides, I need to show Amelia her new nursery.”

Bruce and Diana watched as Alfred left the room with their daughter, looking at each other in reluctant acceptance. They both sat back down, Diana cuddling up against Bruce as his arm slipped around her. “You do realize that we’ll never get to hold her again for as long as Alfred is around,” Bruce pointed out to her.

“I know, but I guess that just gives us more time to make another baby,” she said with a grin.

A low growl was her only warning before she found herself pinned to the couch with a ravenous fiancé hovering above her. “I love how you think, princess,” he huskily replied, his lips claiming hers in a heated rush.

**THE END (?)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, I might come back and do an Amelia story with her a little older if you guys would like to see that. I love how this turned out and I hope you did too. Will do another AU Bruce & Diana fic when I come up with another idea for our favorite duo. Thanks for joining me on this journey! :)


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